Howling Out In Love
by wannabewyler
Summary: A wolf with anger problems and a witch with a temper - when the two meet because of their families, an inferno builds and a love from fairy tales is made. But nothing ever happens that quick. Reality for them is brought with the impending promise of death and creatures that literally suck you dry- how do they cope? Part 1 complete.
1. Part 1

"Oh Charlie, she's beautiful," Jean Granger cooed, her own daughter cradled in her husband's arms as she stared down at her new niece. "You and Renee did a good job big brother," he chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her into his side.

"We both did Jean," he kissed his sister on the side of her head, sharing a smile with his wife. "We both did."

* * *

"You know Bella, you're my best friend!" Hermione called, flopping onto the bed beside her cousin, arms splayed above her head and her legs dangling off the side. Bella was in the exact same position, the only difference being that she was on the opposite side of the bed.

"You're mine too Mione!" The two girls giggled, long and hard, before their breathing evened and the two fell asleep.

That was how both their parents found them two hours later, sighing with amusement as they rearranged the two four year old girls onto the bed more comfortably.

* * *

The evening was cool, the air warm enough for little Paul to remain in his denim shorts and t-shirt without the worry of needing a jacket – luckily his father agreed with him. The bonfire was lit, the wood kindling and cracking, setting the atmosphere for the story as Billy Black spoke of the legends that their tribe lived for. He'd always wanted to listen to them, and he had when he was three, barely remembering any of it but he was intrigued now.

Sat on a log, next to his father and his friend Jared, his listened, enraptured and eyes wide as Billy spoke. The Legends were great, sending a thrill up his spine.

"Did you enjoy that buddy?" His father asked, smoothing the hair off his forehead as he tried to wriggle away with discomfort, noticing the amused looks he was receiving from some of Billy's friends.

"It was so cool dad," he breathed, his eyes lighting up once more and his mission to be free from her finished. "I don't know if i'd want to be a wolf like them though," he scrunched his nose up in disgust. "I'd probably be really angry all the time."

"Luckily it won't ever happen to you bubba," he assured him, kissing his forehead lovingly and allowing him to run off with some of his friends on the beach. "It won't, will it Billy?" He asked, worry filling her voice that he'd managed to mask from his son.

"The Cold Ones haven't been here in decades, what are the chances they'll turn up any time soon?"

* * *

"Aw my ickle Mione, aren't you getting big?" Charlie asked, ruffling his niece's hair with an affectionate hand. She huffed good-naturedly, shoving him away but she couldn't stop the beaming smile appearing on her face.

"It's so good to see you Uncle Charlie!" She wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed, pulling back and looking around the room. "Where's Bella?" He sighed sadly, pulling her to the settee and sitting down.

"She's not here yet." He watched as the girl's brow furrowed before smoothing out with understanding.

"I'm sorry Uncle Charlie, mum never told me that she'd left." He chuckled awkwardly, pulling her back into a hug. "If it helps any, I love you."

"Oh that makes me feel so much better munchkin," he commented, smothering her face in kisses. "Because I love you too."

* * *

"Dad, she's the same age as me?" Jacob asked, staring at the little bushy haired girl in shock. He knew Bella was the same age as him but she was a little bit taller than this supposed seven year which made it more believable for him. "But she's so small," he whined when he saw his dad's nod at his first question.

He watched with amusement as the small girl growled with annoyance, straightening her back and squaring her shoulders to appear bigger. "I'll have you know Mr Black that I'm actually older than you," he snorted, trying to contain his laughter and her lower lip trembled as she tried to contain her anger.

Both his dad and her uncle noticed, giving Jacob stern looks who immediately apologised. "Ah man, i'm sorry squirt, I didn't mean to make you mad." She eyed him slowly, her face losing the redness that had crept up her neck and onto her cheeks. "Friends?"

Hermione nodded, her hand meeting his in the middle as if they had just signed off on a business deal. "Friends."

* * *

"Daaad," Jacob whined, clambering onto the settee so that he could look into his dad's eyes. "Can we take Hermione and Bella with us to the bonfire tonight? Please?" Billy exchanged a look with Charlie, who nodded, and Billy gave his own answering nod. The answering three cheers made a grin appear on his face.

* * *

"Uncle Billy," Hermione started as they were eating their food after the stories. He looked over at her and noticed a thoughtful look on her face. "Do you think the Legends could be true?" He knew that was what she'd be thinking about; for a seven year old, she was incredibly smart – she could read books like nobody's business but also had the odd ability to be able to read people like one of her books.

"I think anything could be possible if you just believe."

"Do you think maybe I could grow taller?" He barked out a laugh, before pulling her into his arms.

"Not likely."

* * *

"Now sweetie, you've been graced with a gift but I don't think it is wise for us to tell anyone about it, okay?" Hermione's mother questioned after Professor McGonagall had left. "Not even Uncle Charlie or Bella can know."

"Okay mum."

* * *

"I would say you keep getting bigger every time I see you but that would be a lie," Billy greeted from his spot in the living room when Hermione arrived for her yearly holiday in Forks.

"Uncle Billy," she whined, grinning up at her Uncle Charlie as he opened the door for her and shooting a wave at her cousin Bella. "I'll have you know that I grew two inches." He snorted before ruffling her hair when she was close enough. "I missed you, all of you."

Her Forks family grinned, making themselves comfortable as they sat in the living room, food on the table in front of them and cold drinks on coasters next to their corresponding owners. "So Mione, what news have you got for us from the big city?" Hermione chewed her lip, wondering if she should share it – her mother did say not to after all.

"I'll tell you but nobody is allowed to know, not even Jacob." The three straightened, worry tainting their faces for she seemed so serious. "Okay, as far fetched as it seems, I need you to believe me." They nodded, Bella reaching out to hold her hand for support. "I'm a witch."

And so Hermione told her family about the visit from one of the Professors, told them everything and explained about the world that she'd briefly seen when she'd gone to get her wand only a few weeks before. She hadn't gotten all her supplies for the first year yet and would be making another trip but that brief moment was enough to convey her awe and happiness with the new world she'd found herself in.

"You be careful, you hear me?" Charlie said, a stern look on his face as they prepared steaks for the barbecue that night. "It's all nice and magical and you're amazing, I get that, but be careful."

She nodded slowly. "What could go wrong?"

* * *

"Paul, buddy, when are you going to stop fighting?" The fifteen year old boy shrugged, his black hair falling into his face as he slouched down in the car seat beside his father. He sighed and he felt a wave of guilt rush through him before it faded into an empty emotional abyss. "Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to act like this."

"Mother told me I had to defend myself," he started, defending himself against the guilt that _did _manage to eat away at him from inside. "Those boys picked on me first."

"They may have done, i'm not calling you a liar but what did happen was that you didn't back down, even when you were told to stop." He looked out of the window, watching the trees blur as they drove past and all he wanted to do was get lost in the green forest, allow mother nature's calmness to seep into his bones and calm his terrible anger.

"I'm just angry all the time dad." He commented, his back slouching even further. The car was silent for the rest of the journey.

* * *

"He's got an awful temper, he's starting to fill out, are you sure there aren't Cold Ones around?" Paul's father complained, staring down the Elders who merely leant back in their chairs. "It's happening, I tell you."

"There aren't any anywhere near us at this moment in time and there won't for another few decades, he's just a teenage boy being overflowed with hormones." Harry Clearwater soothed, trying to calm the situation.

* * *

"Heard from Mione?" Billy asked one night whilst him and Charlie were watching the football. It was just the two of them – Bella choosing to stay with her mum full time and had for a couple of years whilst Jacob was with Embry and Quil.

"Yeah, she called last week. Said that her world is getting worse by the day and that she won't be popping round or talking to us until it's all over – protecting us." He snorted, sipping his beer before shaking his head. "She's only fifteen and with the way she tells it, she's acting like she's about to go off to war."

"She goes to a magical school which is in a magical world where there is a magical law enforcement, if anything bad does arise then she won't be doing anything beside learning how to make toads sing and feathers float."

"I'm sure you're right Billy."

* * *

He didn't like anything at the moment.

He didn't like the way his father was looking at him – and had been for the past year – and he didn't like the way Sam Uley was looking at him, every time they were on the beach or just _anywhere. _He didn't like the way people went out of their way to start a fight with him, knowing how he'd be the one to get blamed and he didn't like the way that worked either.

"Paul, please go step outside." He didn't like the way his father's voice quivered slightly with fear and he didn't like the idea of him getting hurt; whirling round he eyed their living room from any threats, his eyes meeting his in the mirror above the mantel.

Had his eyes always had a slight amber tint to them? Had he always shook when he got angry?

"Sam, it's happening."

His body shook further and he launched himself out of the front door, landing on the grass as a dark silver furred wolf, much larger than any wolf.

He was only sixteen and he definitely had anger problems.

**Hullo! This chapter was mainly to set the back story – Paul is two years older than Hermione/Jacob/Bella – those three friends are all the same age. I know it isn't like that in the books but hey, it works for me. I'm also only sending this one out here to see the kind of response i'll get for it before i start posting more. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter or Twilight. I want to thank you all for the amazing responses I've had to this story after only one chapter! **

"We did it." Hermione breathed, staring in shock at the pile of ashes that used to be Lord Voldemort before turning to her best friends who were standing next to her in just as much shock. "We actually did it." Harry snorted, stumbling over to her before bringing her into his arms, her body still limp with shock.

"And we all survived!" Harry added, laughing slightly with delight, the shock wearing off to be replaced with delirium and happiness. "Well, I almost didn't but we did in the end." Hermione came out of her stupor and brought her hands up to tug Harry closer, fisting her hands in his jacket as she cried.

Ron joined them seconds later and the trio rearranged themselves so that were all touching and hugging. "Shh, Mione, it's okay. We can kick his ass later for making us think he was dead." That seemed to bring a new wave of hysteria over the bushy haired girl and the two boys exchanged a worried yet happy glance – they hated crying girls but for Hermione and the situation they were currently in, they'd take it every day.

"Harry Potter you _bastard!" _She hissed, pushing him away and wiping her tears away with a furious hand. "I thought you were dead! I cried over your dead body!" He shrugged sheepishly, offering her a smile and opened his arms wide, trying to get another hug out of her. Her face went pale as she stared at her best friend. "I thought you were dead." Her voice caught on the final word and a sob erupted from her involuntarily before she pounced back in his arms.

* * *

The war had finished two weeks ago and people were still celebrating, whether it be in pubs, homes, streets or shops, the joy was being spread. It was hard to celebrate, however, when you'd lost your family and friends or when you'd been tortured to the point where you felt your mind almost snap or when you'd had a degrading term carved into your arm. She couldn't hate other people for sharing their joy though.

"Any change?" Ron asked, walking into the room and wiping his mouth clean from any crumbs. She sighed and shook her head, turning back to the book that she was reading to Remus and Tonks; they'd been placed into the Great Hall during the Final Battle, everyone believing them to be dead but when the war was over and the injured were being treated to, it became apparent that they were merely unconscious.

They were yet to wake up.

"Sometimes I think it would be easier for Andromeda if they didn't wake up." She mumbled, wiping away a few stray tears.

"Hermione!" Ron reprimanded, eyes wide. "Don't say that."

"Why not?" She argued, placing the book down on the table beside Remus' bed. "It would be easier for her. She lost her husband in the war and she's grieving for him, she's looking after little Teddy almost every hour of every day because of all the work that everyone is doing to rebuild their families, the wizarding world and catching down stray Death Eaters and on top of that she has to come here and both pray and be prepared to grieve _again." _Ron stood there, staring at her with wide eyes before pulling her into a hug.

"You're not thinking straight."

"I'm thinking like someone who is still in a war Ron, i'm not ever going to get out of that mindset."

"Maybe you should try," a voice offered weakly and her breath caught in her throat as she whirled around to see a smiling, half awake Remus. Tonks was blinking herself awake on the bed next to him. "Teddy's okay?" She nodded, barely noticing that Ron had left to get a Healer and Andromeda. "Harry?" She nodded again, returning to her seat to hold both his hand and Tonks'. "You?" She nodded slowly – yeah, she'd get there.

* * *

"I owe you an apology." She offered another two weeks later, standing at the first of many celebration parties that the Weasley matriarch was going to host. "I said some things that you most likely heard and I didn't mean it in a way that I wanted you gone but I was just fed up of people being hurt and-" Remus cut her off with a chuckle, pulling her into his side.

"You'd barely had time to get yourself out of your war mindset Hermione, nobody can blame you for that."

* * *

"I've got a brilliant idea!" Ron suggested, bursting into Grimmauld Place's drawing room; Hermione was laying on her back on one settee, her lazy clothes on whilst she read a large tome with a title that hinted to stuff way beyond his brain parameters, whilst she drank a glass of wine. Harry was laying on the other, a bowl of popcorn in his lap, a smaller book in one hand and his other hand throwing popcorn at Hermione who would catch it.

"Did it hurt?" Hermione asked curiously, not looking up from her book.

"No!" He grumbled, shooting her a glare.

"Did you steal it from someone else?" Harry offered, eyeing him over his glasses like an old man before proceeding to grin at him and throw some popcorn his way.

"No I didn't, now can I tell you?" Hermione mumbled an affirmative though her mind was clearly still on the book. "With your full attention?" She sighed and shut the book with a slam, looking at him upside down with innocent eyes. "Let's go travelling, see the world and act like teenagers who _haven't _just fought in a war and almost died multiple times."

He watched as Harry perked up at the idea and how Hermione looked dejected, like it was something she wouldn't be doing.

"Well, that's a great idea." She said, smiling stiffly as she sat up, receiving a bit of popcorn on the forehead due to her movement. "But I can't join you i'm afraid." Ron nodded, knowing that she wouldn't – they'd had enough adventure to last them a life time. "I'm going to America for a few months, catch up with family that I had to leave alone for the past four years."

* * *

"Bags are packed?" Molly asked, pulling the girl she considered a daughter into her arms. "You know, I want weekly letters of how you're doing, if I don't get one then i'm sending Fred, George and Charlie to check on you." Hermione laughed, pulling away from the cuddle and kissing Molly on the cheek.

"Mrs Weasley-"

"What have I told you to call me?" Molly asked, interrupting her with a pointed look. Hermione blushed weakly before turning to face Arthur.

"Well, my portkey leaves in a few minutes, i've said goodbye to all the friends, thought i'd come see you guys last." She walked into his open arms, breathing in his scent and feeling calmness take over her before she pulled away again. "So all my bags are packed, letters will be sent on a weekly basis, i'll make sure to eat a suitable amount, i'll talk to someone about my nightmares, i'll try to find a nice, young lad who'll make an honest woman out of me and i'll never be afraid to show off my scars – did I get it all?" Molly nodded, a small smile on her face as she watched her walk away to a safe distance.

"Have fun!" Molly shouted after the bushy haired girl, smiling when she turned round and waved back.

"Will do... mum!" She disappeared in a flash, the portkey taking her away.

"Did she-?" Arthur chuckled at his speechless wife.

"Yes Molls, our daughter called you mum."

* * *

The portkey dropped her off in a back alley in Port Angeles, knowing that it wouldn't take her all the way to Charlie's house because of her surprise arrival and the fact that she'd turn up out of nowhere with all her luggage – that'd be suspicious.

She hailed a cab with minimal difficulty and settled in for the short journey, her mind wandering to her uncle's reaction and whether Bella had been back to visit yet. The cab driver seemed to sense that she didn't want to talk and only disturbed her when he pulled up at the Swan's residence.

Taking a deep breath, she started up the path.

It was only ten in the morning, early for the weekend but still late enough for her to know that he should be awake – unless he had work.

It looked exactly the same on the outside as it did four years ago; not that that surprised her, Charlie had never been one for change. His car was in the driveway along with a truck that looked like a death trap – how had she not noticed they were there before? She vaguely recognised the truck as what Billy used to have when he could drive and a small bounce to her step appeared. She knocked hard before she could talk herself out of it and waited.

* * *

"Who the hell is knocking on the door on a Saturday at ten in the morning?" Charlie grumbled, pulling himself away from the tele and ignoring Bella's amused glance as she sipped her coffee. "Shut up or I'll ground you." This only served to make her laugh out right. "Hello, how can I-" He was cut off as he opened the door, his jaw dropping and his eyes widening.

Bella frowned, standing slowly and walking towards the open door and her frozen dad, wondering what could be the cause. "Hey Uncle Charlie." No. Was that-? Bella ran the short distance to the door, bumping into Charlie's side and grinning when she saw the one person there who she hadn't seen in years.

"Hermione!" The two girls squealed and Hermione had to stumble back to support herself from the weight of her taller cousin who threw herself in her arms. "You have so much explaining to do!" She said sternly, only tightening her hold.

"Bells, move over, let me at her." Charlie's gruff voice interrupted them and Bella stepped back for Hermione to be swept into his comfortable embrace. "I've missed you so much sweetie." Hermione chuckled, tears filling her eyes from happiness. This, this was what she needed.

"We better sit down inside Uncle Charlie, we have some things to talk about."

* * *

"You're so brave!" Bella breathed, eyes wide with awe and shock as she stared at the small girl who used to be her best friend – obviously the years of no contact (Hermione's rule) and the distance they were apart led them to drift away but she had no doubt that since Hermione was back, they could find themselves there again.

"Shut up Bella, anyone would've done the same." Bella shook her head at her bashful cousin.

"No, they really wouldn't have. If that was me in that situation, I would've ran as far away as possible and tried to take as many people with me as I could. I wouldn't have pushed my family away, lost contact with friends to save their lives. I wouldn't have sacrificed myself for my best friend or sent my parents away with no memory of me whatsoever. You're so undeniably brave and ridiculously blind at how amazing you are." Hermione started crying softly again, the tears sprouting up again even though she'd been crying on and off for the past three hours as she caught her family up on the war.

"So Jean and Richard," Charlie started, "they have no memory of us – of their daughter or their brother?" Hermione shook her head, her bottom lip quivering.

"I tried to get it back but the damage was done. The obliviate charm is powerful, one used when you want to keep a secret and I obviously wanted to keep myself a secret so they could live so by the time I had found them and got a team of memory specialists, there was nothing to be done." Hermione wiped a tear away with a shaking hand. "I'm sorry Uncle Charlie."

He pulled her into his arms, shrugging. "They're still alive and so are you; what more could I ask for?"

**So here we are, two chapters into a new story. Nothing major has happened – the first setting the back story and this setting the start of the story but still. My update dates aren't set and they are normally not often due to a broken laptop and a current crap one with no internet so I work with what I get; I also don't let a finish leave unfinished so no worries there, but still, let me know what you think and i'll see you soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

**72 follows after just 2 chapters - i want to thank you all! I've never had such an amazing response so _quickly _and i can tell that you're all going to be so kind and supportive throughout this story.**

Paul walked into Sam's home with a huge yawn and slow steps – he'd done the evening patrol yesterday and when it came to switching with Seth, Leah had phased to tell him that he was behind on school work and Sue was demanding that someone take his patrol instead; with nearly everyone with their imprints, Paul and Leah were one of the few that were able to cover and Leah seemed to be in an extremely bad mood, so Paul chose to carry it on.

It also helped since he was the only one that could be phased at the same time with Jacob and not start shit. Surprising due to his well known anger.

So he'd taken the twilight patrol too, only finishing five minutes ago and entering their Alpha's home with the promise of a large cooked meal and a comfortable couch for him to nap on.

"How was patrol?" Jared asked, chuckling as he tucked into a muffin, eyeing his best friend as he walked into the dining room. "How much pining for Bella did you have to put up with?"

"Jared!" Emily scolded but she too looked curious to see how Jacob was.

"Hardly any. He's not moving on any but he's definitely putting distance between her and him. We even had a civilised conversation about this bird I saw yesterday." Embry raised his eyebrows in surprise, not expecting Jacob to join in with Paul's antics. "Yeah," he carried on, sitting down at the table and smiling thankfully when a plate stacked with food was placed in front of him. "Apparently her hair was a shade lighter than Bella's but her eyes were too round; he also told me to stop playing the field because my imprint is apparently going to drop by soon enough." Paul rolled his eyes, believing that was going to happen as much as he believed Jacob was going to get over Bella.

Never.

"So in theory, no change?" Sam asked, walking into the room and pecking his own imprint on the cheek before joining most of his pack at the table. "She wasn't his imprint so he'll get over it soon." Sam informed them but nobody voiced that they doubted it.

"Who has afternoon patrol tomorrow?" Leah asked curiously. Patrols had definitely been less intense since the Newborn battle but they were still in place – too much damage and drama had been occurring lately not to be on the safe side.

"I do." Paul stated around a yawn, staring at his empty plate and debating whether he wanted more waffles or wanted a nap. "Why?"

"I have evening patrol and I wondered if I'd have to be putting up with a pining and pissed off Jacob or just a pining one."

"Which one would you prefer?"

"Neither."

"Well then a pining and pissed off Jacob is who you'll get." Paul said with a smirk which she responded to with a roll of her eyes. "Well i'm going to hit the sack because i'm knackered." Paul added, leaving the table and sprawling onto the nearest settee, his body falling to exhaustion before he even managed to get his head on a cushion.

* * *

"You can't keep over-working him like this." Emily complained to Sam after the pack had left to get on with their day and Paul was still asleep on their couch. "He's tiring himself out."

"He offers and if I were to decline he'd just go and sleep with some random women and throw a temper tantrum – it's easier to just abide with what he wants in these situations."

"What can we do to make things easier?" She asked, the mothering side of her coming out as she stroked some hair on his head.

"Until he gets an imprint, nothing."

* * *

"Dad, just stop!" Paul shouted, throwing some clothes into a bag as he packed to stay at Emily's for a short bit. His dad was going away with a couple of friends who didn't know about the Reservation's protection system and his dad was getting worried.

"But are you sure you're going to be okay here alone? Emily told me that you've been working extra hard?" Paul gritted his teeth and tried to contain his temper as he turned to face the older man.

"I've got to work hard to protect the Res dad, half the time i'm the only one properly available and willing so why does it hurt?"

"You're running on low battery son."

"You're running late for your cab."

* * *

The silver wolf was running fast, his nose ready to pick up any unfamiliar scents and track them at a moment's notice whilst he went along the treaty line. All by himself.

_Fucking leech._

Ah, there was Jacob meaning that he wasn't completely alone.

_Oh, good afternoon Jacob, _Paul snarked, growling as his peaceful thoughts disappeared.

_Fuck off Lahote, _came the growl back and Paul couldn't help the wolfy grin take over his face. _Just you wait till you fall in love and she doesn't want you._

_Maybe the next time i'll fall in love it will be with my actual imprint._

Jacob didn't respond, only choosing to growl back in anger but Paul got the message loud and clear. Knowing that Leah would kill him if Jacob was in a worse mood for her patrol, he chose to remain quiet and the following hour went past quietly and quickly, no unusual vampires making an entrance onto their land and only small bunnies getting in his way which he scared off with a growl.

_Jacob, I need to talk to you, _Embry said with hints of confusion, as if he doubted he should be talking to his friend. _I've been told to pass on a message._

_If it's Bella, tell her to fuck off. If it's dad, tell him i'm fine._

Paul merely kept quiet, curious as to what Bella would want to tell her heartbroken friend now and he could practically see Embry get even more confused.

_Well actually, it's neither, _Paul perked up with interest now. _Look how about I just pass on the message?_

_Good idea._

_Hermione's home._

**Short chapter this time but it's a set up for the next. Going to put a warning for swearing because I don't think i've done it yet. Italics like that – if you hadn't guessed – means conversation in the wolf's mind. Let me know what you thought.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Let us remember this day (the day you got two chapters in a row) when chapters are running slow. The last chapter was short (very) and was also Paul's pov - this is going to happen frequently throughout because there are some events that i can't have done in Hermione's eyes. **

"So you're engaged." Hermione started as they were washing the plates up after dinner. Since she'd only arrived that morning, they'd only talked about the war and Bella's time at school as well as her relationship with Edward. There hadn't been any mention of Billy, the man she considered an uncle or one of her other close friends, Jacob.

"Yup, he's it for me." Bella stated, placing the three plates back into their cupboard as she then turned to start drying the saucepans and utensils.

"Bit young aren't you? I mean, we're only eighteen, well i'm nineteen, but you get my gist. You've just graduated."

"I'm only getting older." Bella responded, as if she knew something that she wasn't telling Hermione – which was probably the case. "I know it's young but you told me that Harry and Ginny are talking of marriage and she's younger than the pair of you by a whole year!"

"It's different in the wizarding world," Hermione protested immediately but seeing that she was arguing a losing battle – knowing Charlie would have protested this arrangement as much as possible before giving in – decided to leave it. "But I can see just by the way you talk about him that you're in love. When do I get to meet him?"

Bella grinned with delight and was tempted to tell her tonight but she knew that Hermione would protest at the boy creeping in through her window every night – God knows how she'd protest if she knew she was marrying into a family of vampires.

"I'll call him later and arrange a day for you to come round."

* * *

There wasn't much conversation for the rest of the night, Hermione wiped out from her portkey over to the states as well as the stressful time when talking about the war and after mass. Charlie and Bella stayed up for a couple more hours before Bella bade him goodnight with a kiss on the head and a grin of delight when they mentioned Hermione, before heading up to bed too.

"What's got you so happy?" Edward asked after she shut her door and she turned around, grinning at him. "Missed me that much?" She laughed quietly, aware that Hermione was sleeping in the room next to hers and Charlie would be coming to bed soon.

"Not you Edward, Hermione." She noticed his confused face and elaborated. "She's my cousin, we grew up together for a few years before her parents moved to England and took her with them, then we were limited to summers and other holidays before my parents split up and I left with mum. Then it was just summers and then we stopped talking." Whilst she spoke, she got into her pyjama's and got herself onto the bed where he was reclining against her headboard. "She's back!"

Edward pulled her close, spooning her from behind and pressing his lips gently to the back of her neck. "I'm happy for you. When do I get to officially meet her?"

"Maybe tomorrow, or the day after. I want to catch up with her properly first."

* * *

Bella blinked awake slowly and rolled over, looking into Edward's amber eyes and smiling. He grinned back and leant down, kissing her slowly and sensually. "Good morning," she breathed, running her hands through his hair before pulling him back to her lips.

"It is now." She chuckled and rolled out of his arms, yawning slightly as she climbed out of bed. "Where you going? It's a weekend, we're the only ones home; I was hoping we could spend more time doing that." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively but lost the look when she whirled at him.

"Alone? What do you mean alone?"

"Well, Charlie and Hermione were awake and then he left for work and she left about half an hour after him." She blinked slowly, before pulling fluffy socks onto her feet.

"Left where?" He shrugged and followed her out of her bedroom, down the stairs and into the kitchen as she got herself a cup of coffee.

"There's a note," he stated, motioning to the piece of paper on the table and whilst she read that, he dealt with her coffee. "What does it say?"

_Morning – or afternoon Bella,_

_Just popped out to see Billy and Jacob – if you need me, call them._

_Borrowed your death trap too, so if I don't come back, you're vehicle killed me._

_Love you_

_Hermione_

"Oh she doesn't know that Jacob's gone AWOL," she moaned, plopping herself into the nearest chair and placing her head into it. "She's going to be so upset and then mad at me for not telling her. What am I going to do?" Edward placed her coffee in front of her and moved to make some food for her to eat, knowing that she'd only be eating toast today.

"How about we don't worry about it? It'd be easier for her to found out about Jacob from his dad so we let that happen, we'll go hang with Alice and Esme – i'm sure they have some more wedding details that they want to discuss with you and whilst we're there we can arrange dinner for Hermione to meet us. I'm thinking tonight."

They were silent until the toast popped and she'd eaten it before she sighed and nodded her head. "Yeah, you're right. She'll still be mad – really mad – but she'll be more interested in meeting you so she'll calm down."

"You hope."

"Eh, she doesn't know how dangerous you all can be; she'd be madder then."

* * *

"Oh fucking hell," Jared moaned, noticing the battered truck that passed him, heading towards the Black residence.

"What?" Embry started, turning and following where Jared was looking. "Oh shit, good thing Paul is on patrol." Jared snorted and shot him a look. "What? It is. He may fight with Jacob and love to tease or argue with him but Jake is still our brother and Paul can see that."

"Shut up Embry before I forget you are one of us and shove you in the sea."

* * *

There it was. The familiar shack that she'd played in and around when she was a little girl. She pulled up in the track, leaving it idle for a bit before cutting the engine and composing herself. She hadn't seen either of them since she cut things off with Charlie and though she found it difficult to return to them, it was considerably easier than this. She supposed it was because Charlie and Bella were family, they were all each other had now (with the exception of Bella having Renée) and they'd have to forgive her. These were her friends, her adopted family and that was a completely different kettle of fish.

She doesn't know how long she sat in Bella's truck, trying to build the courage but eventually the front door opened and a man in a wheelchair wheeled himself out. Billy.

A huge grin took over her face and she clambered out before she could talk herself out of it, walking towards him and stopping at the steps of the porch. "Uncle Billy," she greeted tentatively, staring up at his impassive face. She sighed and relaxed when a huge grin erupted on his own withered face.

"Get up here and give me a hug." He ordered, wheeling back to make room for her so she could wrap her arms around him and be wrapped up in return. "You'd think after all these years you would at least grow." She pulled back, laughing in disbelief and peppering his face in kisses.

"Oh how i've missed you Uncle Billy." He winked up at her and started heading back indoors.

"Come on in and tell me everything."

* * *

She shortened the story down, finding the full story too stressful to repeat after yesterday but she did tell him everything he needed to know. She showed him her scars, breaking down when he stroked them delicately and soothing her like a father would. She told him about the hunt for the horcruxes, her torture and the final battle and was finished within an hour.

The shack was silent except for the ticking of a clock and the noise was driving her spare. She knew he was digesting it all, trying to calm his breathing and emotions so his voice didn't crack but she wanted him to say something.

"You're safe now though?" He asked, concerned that she had only returned to get away from the hunters. "Are you being hunted?" She shook her head, a few curls flinging into her face and she brushed them away.

"All Death Eaters are accounted for and the war is officially over. I'm here for good." He grinned in response, reaching over to grab her hand. "So where's Jacob?" The grin fell from his face and she instantly became worried. "Is he okay?"

"Last I heard he was." Her eyes widened and her bones filled with dread.

"Last you heard?" He shot her a sad smile and held her hand, squeezing it gently.

"Bella hasn't told you, has she?" Hermione shook her head. "They had a falling out. He's been enamoured with her since she came to live with Charlie. She's been oblivious, smitten with the Cullen and rejected him. I'm sure you know she's engaged and he didn't want to stick around for it and so he left."

"How do you contact him? Where is he?" She asked, worry and frustration racing through her veins. Bella wasn't a stupid girl, she may not always be eyes open to the events around her but she hadn't ever been oblivious enough to not know the growing feelings. Now Jacob was off somewhere and she couldn't see him.

"I don't contact him. He left a number with a couple of friends, they're my only hope at knowing about my son." Billy altered, skimming the truth since it was anything _but _a number that they used.

"I'm bringing him home."

"Hermione-" Billy protested, turning his wheelchair to face her properly.

"No Uncle Billy. Tell me the name of these friends and where I can find them."

* * *

Embry whistled, eyeing the beauty that was walking in their direction on the beach; she'd been driving Bella's truck and he presumed it was her from earlier. "She's a fine piece." Jared and Quil followed his eyesight, looking at the curves on the small woman and nudged their friend in agreement. Though they were both imprinted, they could both appreciate the female form. "Should I talk to her? Just date a little until I imprint or just let her slide by with a smile?"

"You may not have a choice," Quil commented, noticing that the girl was heading in their direction, a determined look on her face. She stopped a few feet away from them and smiled. She really was pretty, hot even.

"Are any of you Embry or Quil? I was told that you knew Jacob."

"I'm Quil," he commented, pointing to himself. "This here is Embry," pointing in Embry's direction. "And the other is Jared though you didn't ask. We all know Jake, why?" She smiled again in greeting and fiddled with her fingers.

"Can one of you get a message to him for me, please?"

"Woah little darling, I don't know what you've been told but-" She shot Jared a glare and he silenced his protests.

"I'm friends with Jake, haven't seen him in a few years but we're friends. His dad is like my uncle, he used to be like my brother and I need to see him. I know he's not here but you can speak to him. Billy told me and I need you to help. Please." Embry nodded his head.

"Okay, what do you need me to say?"

"Can you tell him that Hermione's home?" She nodded afterwards, as if reassuring herself that was what she wanted to say and watched as Embry walked away, disappearing behind a building. The trio stood there in silence and three minutes later, a baffled Embry walked back to their group. "Is he okay? What did he say?"

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair and smiling at her. "He's fine. I don't know what you are to him but he's on his way back." Jared and Quil swung their heads round to face him with shock and he nodded in agreement. "He turned right around moments after I told him and he's already heading back."

"Thank you." She breathed, her whole posture relaxing. "Thank you so much."

**I love this story. It has been one of my favourite to write – and we're only four chapters in - and it has come out so easily and quickly which is surprising for me. I've written up to chapter ten which really shows to me how easy i can get this out! Next chapter shows the meeting of Hermione and the Cullen family and won't be up till Tuesday/Wednesday. Let me know what you thought.**


	5. Chapter 5

**We made 100 followers guys.. after only four chapters! I've never had this kind of response to a story before and i love you all for it!**

_Well actually, it's neither, _Paul perked up with interest now. _Look how about I just pass on the message?_

_Good idea._

_Hermione's home._

Paul frowned with confusion and his wolf tilted his head, trying to place anyone in the community called Hermione. The reaction for Jacob was completely different. Both Paul and Embry saw through their connection when his wolf form faltered and almost crashed into a tree.

_Hermione? _Jake asked, disbelief coating his voice.

_Yeah, well that's what we were told to say._

Paul carried on his patrol, knowing that it was nearly finished in an hour before Sam was due to take over, he didn't want to have to deal with more arguments with Jacob for his behaviour or comments. Especially since she clearly meant something to him.

_I'm coming home._

Paul's wolf form _did _falter, stumbling into a bush with shock – it was clear how distracted they both were, Embry with Jake's news and Jake with Hermione – when neither of them commented on it.

_Are you serious man? _Embry questioned, Paul could clearly hear the under hint of excitement.

_Yeah, i've turned around already._

Embry offered a quick goodbye before leaving the two to themselves and there wasn't any more talk until Sam arrived to take over.

* * *

When Paul joined the trio on the beach later on, they were exchanging grins and teasing each other. "This Hermione chick," he started, interrupting their laughter and bringing their attention to him. "She must be something for him to come back so soon." Embry waggled his eyebrows.

"She definitely looks like something too."

* * *

Hermione waltzed into the Swan's house, front door slamming after her and Charlie and Bella exchanged a flinch. When she entered the front room, neither were prepared for the look of anger on her face. "When were you going to tell me that Jake was _missing?"_ Charlie turned his attention to the tele and waited for Bella to make some excuse to leave.

"I think my phone is ringing upstairs." Ah, there it was. "I'm going to go answer it."

"Your phone is on the table right in front of you. Therefore you're going to tell me why I wasn't told."

"It skipped our minds?" Bella offered feebly, cringing into the sofa cushions when Hermione glared at her.

"Skipped your minds? How can someone, who is close to this family and _missing _be off your minds and forgotten about?" Her voice was getting shrill, her eyes alight with a fire they presumed was commonly seen during the war and her hair was crackling with magic.

"You'd just appeared in our lives again. And how is this any different from when you just cut us out?" Bella questioned, a small amount of protest filling her bones.

"How is this different? I'll tell you how. I'm a witch who was in the middle of a battle, fighting for her lives where people's families were being targeted and killed for no other reason than to break people." Charlie frowned at his daughter. "If that is how you would've preferred life to go for you then let me apologise, maybe next time I get in a life or death battle, i'll let you _die!" _Hermione's voice ended in a shout and she rubbed her forehead. "I apologise, I think i'm going to lay down for a nap and a rest before I get started on dinner."

"No need Mione," Charlie called before she could make it up the stairs. "Sue is making her way round for dinner and Bella is heading to the Cullen's." He shot his daughter a look.

"I was hoping I could take you and get you to meet them." Bella added, trying to fight the guilt that was consuming her.

"Fine with me." Hermione added before storming up the stairs and slamming her bedroom door.

"I am so disappointed in you."

"Dad-"

"No, don't dad me. You know what she went through and you know how much it hurt her to stop talking to us. Jacob was a good friend to her when she was here, almost her best friend and you knew how worried she'd be when she found out he was missing." He took a sip of his beer and turned back to the tele. "We're both in the wrong for forgetting and not warning her but you're in the wrong for pouring gasoline on the fire."

* * *

_Hey guys!_

_Mum, I've already eaten (not too much but I've eaten) and I've arrived safely. I didn't experience a nightmare last night but that was probably because I was so tired. If they occur frequently, I'll talk to someone. The scars, they're something that is going to take time but I can do it. _

_Harry, Ron, it's hard, waking up and not having to worry about you all the time (even though I still worry regardless of we're all being safe). Don't eat too much and make sure you study for Auror training because I will not be pressuring you this time. _

_Ginny, I may have to require your services for fashion soon. I'm thinking of getting myself a motorcycle (always wanted one, calm down mum! Yes dad, I'll tell you all about it) and so I'm going to need an accompanying wardrobe, right?_

_I miss you all. I love you all. I'll speak next week, but please, let me know how everyone is?_

_Hermione_

* * *

Bella knocked on the door tentatively. She hadn't spoken to Hermione since their tiff in the living room and she was worried that if allowed to stew on it, Hermione would be madder than before. "Hermione, you awake?" The door opened a second later to find a warm faced Hermione, smiling at her. "You okay?"

"I sure am," she replied, grabbing a purple beaded bag and attaching it to her wrist. She patted her pockets and nodded, walking into the hall and down the stairs. "I'm ready to go if you are." Bella blinked slowly, trying to get used to the idea and vision of a calm Hermione.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

* * *

The letter arrived via floo, everyone knowing that she couldn't put an owl through the journey. Though they had floo access to her, they had agreed to leave her be, her nightmares being triggered more often than not by seeing Harry or Ron – she loved them dearly but going through a war and being tortured with them there really wasn't good for the mental state.

"Mum!" Ginny called, picking the letter up and walking into the kitchen where the whole family – with Harry – were sitting down for breakfast. "There's a letter for you!" Molly shuffled over, wiping her hands on her apron before taking the parchment and turning to sit down and eat. Flipping it open, she smiled with delight and read the letter. "Who's it from? Obviously someone who calls you mum," she added, indicating to the envelope where _Mum _was written in a delicate scrawl.

"Just Hermione checking in," Molly offered before passing the parchment to her daughter for her to read, Harry and Ron reading over her shoulder. "I can't believe that girl is going to get herself a motorcycle, we'll have to talk her out of it." Fred snorted, elbowing his twin.

"I can believe it. That girl would be _hot _on one of them."

"Fred!" Molly scolded, hitting him over the head with her tea towel.

"I'm not going to apologise, half of us were thinking it," he replied, looking pointedly at his twin, Charlie and Ron. "And let her have one. Bout time she had an adventure in her life that she can actually enjoy."

"Since when did she call you mum?" Ginny asked.

* * *

The car journey was quiet, the only noise being Hermione hum along with the songs on the radio and Bella taking deep breaths to calm herself down. She wasn't overly worried, she just really wanted Hermione to like Edward, knowing that if she didn't then her whole life would be awkward because now that Hermione was back, she wasn't going to be letting her leave.

They pulled up a few minutes later, parking the battered truck next to a shiny Volvo which Hermione eyed appreciatively. "Why can't you get a ride like that Bells? Safer than this heap of junk; prettier too," Hermione grumbled, jumping out of her side and slamming the door shut, following her cousin up the stairs to the front door. Hermione whistled lowly. "Sheesh, are you marrying him for his looks or his money?" Bella shot her a look which she responded to with a wink, letting her know it was only in jest.

"Bella, hello dear," a motherly looking woman said, appearing in the open door and hugged said girl. She opened the door wide and the two walked into the front room. "You must be Hermione, it is a pleasure to meet you," she said sweetly, moving to stand by Carlisle so to not overwhelm the girl who was staring at the whole family with wide eyes.

"Hey sweetie," Edward called, jogging down the stairs and walking over to peck her on the cheek. "Hullo Hermione, i'm Edward," he proceeded to introduce everyone. "That is Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett and my mother Esme along with my father Carlisle."

"Hello!" They all greeted, offering a wave when their names were said. All eyes turned to Hermione, waiting for her to respond from her comatose state. She blinked slowly and opened her mouth.

"Vampires."

**Ha! I lied, the actual confrontation is next chapter – forgot I had this one - anyway, i'm finding uploading these chapters really off-putting at the moment because i've literally just finished writing the imprinting scene and now i'm uploading this and it's giving me a complex, hahah - let me know what you thought of this though, see you on Friday!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Vampires."

The following scene would be amusing to watch, if you weren't within the room where you very much in danger. Hermione had grabbed Bella's hand, pulling hard and causing the taller girl to go stumbling out the front door onto the porch. Hermione, in a way of adding further protection, placed a shield bubble – wandlessly – around the two of them and got herself into a defensive posture, getting ready to grab her wand at a moment's notice.

The vampires all panicked. Emmett stepped forward into a crouch, hissing and protecting Rosalie who was crouched behind him in the same posture – the same went with Alice and Jasper as well as Esme and Carlisle. Edward was the different reaction, standing at her shield's edge, a focused look on his flawless face as he pushed against her mind.

"I can't read you," he exclaimed, eyes wide and confused. "Why can't I read you?" Hermione huffed and stepped backwards, closer to Bella who was moaning about her bum being bruised. "Please, don't leave, we can sort this out," he pleaded.

"Edward!" Rosalie hissed, eyes narrowed in frustration. "She _knows, _the Volturi aren't going to be happy and they were angry enough as it is with Bella. We're going to _die!" _Bella came to action at that statement, clambering to her feet awkwardly and gripping the arm of her smaller cousin.

"No, Hermione, we can't let them!" Hermione shot her a look before returning her calculating gaze back to the vampire family; Bella recognised that look, it was always one she wore when she was extremely curious and it normally resulted in her being locked in a library. "Hermione, they've never hurt me!" Hermione pulled her glance away from Edward and turned, looking her cousin up and down before narrowing in one a silvery mark on her right forearm. She growled and Bella fidgeted, pulling her arm free. "They didn't do that; I was being hunted and they helped me," she explained. "Honest."

"When was the last time you snacked on a human?" Hermione questioned and Carlisle stepped forward, speaking for the family.

"I myself have never done so but many have struggled with this diet as have many members of my family but Jasper is the newest to our diet." He noticed Hermione's furrowed brow – one he assumed was confusion – and elaborated. "We feed on animal blood." She nodded, rolling her eyes as if she already knew that, which she couldn't have.

"Pfft," she waved her hands to dismiss the comment. "I know that." She tapped her chin in thought and noticed the defensive postures that were yet to relax. "Relax, i'm not going to hurt you." They glanced to Edward out of the corner of their eyes and he shrugged, still not able to get a read on her. They turned their glances to Jasper who gave a slight nod. He sensed her feelings were true. "I take it you have human food to snack on seeing as we were invited here for dinner, i'm famished!" Hermione dropped the shield that nobody but her knew was up and walked into the house, smiling a bit awkwardly and still a bit tense.

"Of course we do dear," Esme reassured, bustling forward to make the girl feel at home and acting the motherly person that she was. "Would you like carrots or peas with your beef?" Hermione smiled, following her into the kitchen.

"Oooh, i'll have a little bit of both if it isn't too much trouble." The two quietened down as they got further away and the remaining vampires turned to Bella who merely shrugged.

"I didn't know that she could recognise one on the spot," she defended, snuggling into Edward's embrace. "We haven't spoken for like four years and recognising the undead wasn't one of the skills we discussed since her return." Rosalie shot her a glare and stormed upstairs at vampire speed, Emmett following after a grin at Bella. Jasper hovered by Alice's side who looked extremely worried.

"I didn't see this coming," she hissed, hands fluttering around her nervously. "I can see her but only barely, she's like a blurry video in my head, as if someone filmed her but was shaking the camera so much that mainly colours are recognised but sometimes I can make out her face." She sighed heavily and leaned on Jasper. "I can see humans because I was one and I can see vampires because I am one – mutts I have no clue of seeing but i've never experienced a blur before."

"That's because she's a witch," Bella piped up, grinning as if the answer explained everything.

* * *

"So Hermione," Emmett started, watching the girl who was playing with the meat on her plate. "Bella here says that you're a witch." The small girl choked on her peas and glared at her cousin who blushed in response and focused on her own dinner. "I didn't know they were real." Hermione snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm eating dinner with vampires, a presumably mythical creature, and you're telling me that my kind doesn't exist?" His face turned amused and he barked out a laugh.

"Yeah, does seem kind of stupid thinking back. What can you do?" He asked eagerly, ignoring Rosalie's huff and eye roll.

"What do you want me to do?" Hermione asked, pulling her wand out and twiddling it in her fingers. "I can make birds appear and attack you, I could make you float with your head near the ground, I could tickle you." She lowered her voice and leant forward. "Or I could set you on fire." If Emmett could've paled, he would've then but instead he leant back and sized her up.

"Okay short stuff, you pack a punch." She nodded and returned to her food. Once her meal was finished, she leant back and smiled.

"So this whole engagement thingy, all some ruse to make Charlie okay with you spending 24/7 with this lot?" Hermione asked Bella.

"Erm, no. We're getting married."

"Why would you get married to someone who will look like your son in twenty years?" Hermione laughed, her brow furrowed with confusion before smoothing out and turning her face into a blank mask. "Unless you won't look like his mum in twenty years." Bella cringed, sensing the argument to be.

"I love him," she explained, reaching for his hand.

"And I love chocolate but you don't see me going to see Willy Wonka," Hermione countered, her magic crackling around her. "Are you fucking insane? You are throwing your life away! You'll be a monster," she hissed.

"I'll feed on animals too!" Bella protested, looking around the table for some support but none was shown since they'd all had the same thoughts at one point.

"But you'll be a newborn first, a newborn who's thirst for blood is stronger than practically anything. Would you even realise it's me when you drain me dry?" Bella shook, imagining Hermione at her feet, her blood dripping from a wound on her neck. "What about kids Bella? You've always wanted kids and you're going to become the undead before you get that chance." Hermione noticed Rosalie nodding out of the corner of her eye and vowed that she'd follow that up at a later date but now - "Well, thank you for your hospitality and not killing me. You keep my secret, i'll keep yours." She stared at her cousin. "Bella, we're going home now."

Hermione walked from the room, leaving the house and slamming the truck door which Bella didn't hear. "Well, thank you for tonight," she answered tentatively, "I better go." She kissed Edward chastely before running after her cousin and driving away only a minute later.

"I like her," Emmett commented. "She's got attitude."

"She also holds an excellent point," Rosalie added, glaring at her brother before leaving the room.

* * *

"Hermione," Bella started as they pulled up in the driveway. She'd known to keep the drive silent. "Please don't-" Hermione held up her hand to get silence but didn't look in Bella's direction.

"Just not tonight, yeah?"

* * *

"So Hermione, what did you think of the Cullen's?" Charlie asked at breakfast the next morning and Bella looked up from her eggs, waiting for _something._

"They seem like nice people," Hermione replied. "Rich and beautiful, for a moment i'd thought that Bella was marrying him for his money." Hermione and Charlie laughed, chuckling at the thought of good ol' Bella doing something so preposterous.

"I, myself, can't see anything wrong with the family," Charlie added before his face darkened. "Except for that Edward, though that's mainly because she's my little girl."

"Every good side has its down," Hermione mumbled, low enough for Bella to hear but not for Charlie.

* * *

The beach in La Push seemed to be the only place that she felt comfortable. It probably had something to do with the fact that Bella never came on to the reserve, even less now that Hermione knew of Jacob's reasoning for going. Bella never told Hermione why Edward hated her going out that way and the witch never asked.

Ever since the dinner, Bella had been uncomfortable around her cousin, always trying to persuade Hermione that everything would be okay and that it was the only way to move on with her life but Hermione wouldn't listen. After fighting in a war for her right to live, she was sensitive about throwing it away like that. Completely understandable.

She often spent her time staring out into the ocean, watching the kids splash around or the young teenagers playing and flirting. Simple lives they held, one she wished that she'd been able to have at their age. Many times at the beach, Embry or Quil would join her – depending on the day, it could be both – and they wouldn't necessarily talk but if they did, they never questioned her about her moods. She liked that about them. It was a lot easier to deal with _them _than the really nice vampires back at home.

Vampires that she'd have to deal with on a permanent basis if she wanted to see her cousin again. She didn't know when she was due to be changed, didn't want to know and have that deadline set in place but she did know that she was going to have to find a way for Charlie to know because it would break him to lose Bella.

**I felt like I rushed through the confrontation at the beginning but no matter how I wrote it, that was how it came out – or worse. I've chosen to just deal with that and move on. I've hit a wall on chapter ten but i've been thinking ahead and i hope you're all prepared for a long ass story - if i get everything i want then it'll be at least forty chapters. Anyway, next chapter will have some more Paul because I miss the handsome bloke. Let me know what you thought, and i'll see you soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

"She's different," Embry said as he walked into Sam and Emily's backyard for dinner. "She's like an enigma and she acts and holds herself as if she's seen terrible things but yet on the same hand, she acts like a teenage girl who is yet to _live, _ya'know?" He was talking to Jared and Leah - both of whom looked tired of the conversation already.

"Are you sure you haven't imprinted?" Sam questioned, grinning as he walked past with a plate full of uncooked meat, ready to be thrown on the grill. "You act like she's the best thing since sliced bread." Embry croaked out a laugh.

"I think everyone in the pack has laid their eyes on her and nobody has made claim, I am just enjoying the view," he replied, settling onto the grass next to the food table.

"I haven't seen her," Paul offered and laughed along with everyone else. Imprinting in itself was very rare but for _him _to finally find his soul mate in this chick from out of state? Yeah, that was even rarer. "Jake hasn't seen her either." The pack let their face sink into thought before Quil spoke up.

"With the way he's piping on about getting home to her all the time when we're phased, it wouldn't surprise me if she is his imprint; maybe his imprint is even rarer and she managed to imprint with him over an extremely long distance." Sam snorted and rolled his eyes, shooting a smile at Emily who looked just as amused as he did.

"You kids are ridiculous," Jared moaned, wrapping his arms around Kim who didn't look up from her book but still managed to kiss him on the cheek. "As Embry said, she's an enigma and since nobody has imprinted on her, and nobody can imprint on her from so far away, she's just another pretty face."

"A pretty face that walks with a killer body," Embry amended.

* * *

_So how far away do you think you are? _Paul asked as he did his midnight patrol. He was bored and fed up of patrolling so much so the least he could do was talk to someone. _This Hermione chick is getting antsy._

_You've seen her?_ Came Jacob's response immediately._ Does she look okay?_

_Oh, I haven't seen her. Embry has been spending like every living second with her and then talks about her when he's not with her. _Paul mentally rolled his eyes about the lovesick fool.

_He imprinted on her? _Jake asked, shocked about the new outcome.

_Hell no, he's just got a crush. Can you imagine what he'd be like when he actually does imprint? _Paul shuddered and hopped over a fallen log. _That day will be sickening. _Jacob laughed and they both settled into a comfortable silence, Jacob running fast as he made his way back home but also looking for a cave to sleep in for a few hours whilst Paul ran the familiar route around La Push. The area reeked of Sam, who had been patrolling before and-

_Oh fuck no!_

Leech.

Paul threw his head back and howled. The scent was fresh, had been there only two minutes ago and following the scent, he managed to catch up, noticing it in a clearing that was just before him. She was beautiful – if you were into that thing – and her hair was brown with a ginger tinge, the hair straight and down to her waist. She was petite and was looking around the area, her body poised for action.

_What's the matter Paul? _Jared asked first, before his arrival was followed by Sam, Quil and Embry. Ten seconds later and Seth and Leah joined the action.

_We've got a fucking leech. _Paul sent the image of his location over to them and saw them make their away over, stealthily but quickly. He didn't want to risk her taking flight when he could have others to back him up. He had mellowed over the past months. He'd wait until at least one other pack member got into the vicinity before making himself known.

That was before she looked at him with her gleaming red eyes and hissed.

_She found me. _Paul exclaimed excitedly, adrenaline pumping and his heart racing. _I'm taking this bitch down._

Leah was the first to appear behind him, letting him have the kill but being on hand in case he needed assistance. Sam and Jared were up ahead, having come from different directions whilst Quil was blocking the leech from crossing into Cullen's land whilst Embry was opposite and stopping it from getting further into the reservation. Seth was catching up and chatting to Jake.

The leech turned slowly, her eyes raking over each wolf and exit route before attempting to jump to a tree; Paul got his teeth wrapped around one of her legs and dragged her down. The vampire was dead only a minute later, body destroyed beyond recognition.

_Hey guys, sorry I'm late! _Seth commented cheekily and received a mocking growl from his sister. _Sheesh, did I miss something then?_

_God you are so annoying, _Leah claimed shoving him with her shoulder before hollering a goodnight and heading back to home, the smaller wolf following.

_Jared, you stay and run patrols with Paul for the rest of the night. We're doubling up on patrols tomorrow just to ensure that she was alone. Quil, you'll join up with Embry in the morning and I'll join with Leah in the afternoon. Be safe. _Sam ordered, giving his own quick goodbye before speeding home back to Emily who was no doubt awake and worrying like she always did when someone howled.

The rest of the wolves said their own goodbyes before leaving too and then it was just Jared and Paul.

_I miss leech hunting. _Jake commented with a wolfish pout.

Ah, and Jacob too.

* * *

"Hey dad," Paul said, answering the phone and muting the television so he could hear the response. The reply was a typical hello before his old man turned into a panic, worrying about how he was coping on his own. Paul rolled his eyes and let his dad worry, knowing that this would how he would act, even more so now that he was put into more danger all the time. "I'm fine dad, how's the cruise?"

That served as a good distraction, allowing his dad to talk on and on and on about all the different places that he'd visited – something the pair of them had wanted to do but not able firstly due to money and then because of the vampire threats and his wolfish nature. "We've extended our time by a few weeks," his dad went on to explain. "I didn't want to because of you but they talked me into it." Paul smiled, his father was so relaxed – an emotion he hadn't seen or heard since his first transformation and he didn't mind the extra loneliness that would follow for his dad to be happy.

"That's fine, I'll let you go now, and have fun!" Paul called, waiting for the responding goodbye before ending the call. With a glance at the clock, it showed only seven in the evening. Yeah, he had time to go to the pub and hopefully find some company of the female type before going to be tonight. Hopefully he wouldn't be alone.

**Did I put a warning for swearing? That's mainly what the rating is for because I'm no good at writing smut but I can hint and put sexual references in so expect them too. Paul chapters will be longer once he's imprinted. Let me know what you thought and I'll see you soon. Next update should be thursday/friday.**


	8. Chapter 8

**This story has turned out way more successful than i ever imagined - you're all so amazing! We've made 155 followers - the most i've ever made - and this story has been added into a community (which i've never had done to a story before) so thank you all! ****I've had a lot of requests and questions for the event that is about to occur in this chapter.**

_Hey guys, _

_Nothing crazy has happened besides the fact my cousin is marrying into a family of animal eating vampires – no, i'm not joking. My sense of humour isn't that great. They seem to generally care and love her – she's planning to get changed after her wedding and I can do nothing but sit by and let it happen. _

_Merlin give me strength._

_If things get too hectic for me down here, i'll pop back for a family dinner but please, don't worry about me. I've dealt with worse. _

_Love you all, Hermione._

* * *

It had been a week and Bella and Hermione still weren't talking unless they were in front of Charlie; luckily because of work and spending time with Billy and Sue, he hadn't noticed Hermione's coldness or Bella's sudden sad mood. Everyone was happy in his eye. But Hermione _couldn't _be happy, not yet anyway. Her cousin was literally throwing her humanity away for a bloke she met like a year ago. She was going to have to fake her death and have Charlie, Renee and herself grieve and in reality, she'd be sitting in some area with minimal sun or minimal humans and would live her life happily, draining animals of their blood and watch as her family grew old and died.

The question is, since Bella _knew _about her magical abilities, would she have ever told Hermione about her vampirism? The likely answer?

No.

Vampires weren't wholly liked in the wizarding world, known for their blood thirsts and their predatory skills which make them definite threats. No, Bella would've changed, had all of her family believe she be dead and just leave them. Hermione just struggled to deal with that concept.

That's why she spent so much time away from Forks; the Cullen family had seemed to be everywhere she went the first day after the argument and Hermione needed somewhere to go – home wasn't suitable because Alice was doing Bella's dress – so she got in Bella's truck and drove. She ended up at La Push beach and she sat there, watching the waves come crashing and the birds flying above the sea, dipping down every now and then before leaving. It was peaceful.

She managed to make it up there the next day by hitching a ride with Charlie and was soon joined at the beach with Embry who either sat there in comfortable silence or spoke to her about Jacob – he was clearly curious as to how the two new each other. And that was how she found herself a week after the argument – on the beach with Embry and Quil (and a little girl called Claire who seemed fond of Quil) and were sat in comfortable silence as the little girl made a castle out of sticks and pebbles on the beach.

They'd been sat there for an hour when Embry's head snapped up to attention, looking at something over her head before his face held a huge smile and he clambered to his feet. She followed his direction and noticed him running towards a large man, embracing him before pulling back and revealing – _Jacob? _

"Damn," she muttered and Quil laughed next to her. "He got big!" Quil's laughter increased and he nodded in agreement before he picked up 'Claire-Bear' and took her over to Jake. She stood to her feet and walked slowly towards the group, her eyes widening comically when she saw how muscled he was. Did he not own a top?

He froze when he stared at her, as if he too couldn't believe that she was there. "Hermione," he breathed and that was enough for her to run and embrace her old friend. His warm arms held her to him, embracing her tightly and swinging her around. "Hey squirt," he chuckled, kissing her hair and squeezing her gently before pulling back. "It's been a long time."

She grinned up at him and nodded. "But I'm back now," she told him, running her fingers through his chin length hair.

"For good?"

"For now," she compromised, wrapping her arms around his middle –as much as she could – and squeezing again. "I missed you." Quil and Embry were stood to the side, exchanging wide eyed looks – had he just _imprinted?_

"Hey Jake, group barbecue for lunch at Sam's, you'll be there, right?" Embry quizzed and celebrated when he received an answering nod. "Good."

* * *

Paul really was alone at patrol now; Jacob had stopped replying twenty minutes ago which meant only one thing – he'd phased back and was home. He couldn't wait to see the bloke.

* * *

"Jacob!" A woman cried and throwing herself at the bloke; he only had enough warning to step away from Hermione so she didn't get squashed and catch the flying figure that would be Emily. "I don't know what you thought you were doing, leaving us all like that but it stops now, you hear me?" He nodded, allowing her to pepper his face in kisses and feel him to check he'd been eating enough. Jacob rolled his eyes and grinned cheekily at Hermione who giggled in response and brought Emily's attention to her. "Oh, you must be Hermione!" She nodded wearily and allowed herself to be drawn into a hug. "Embry has spoken about you a lot," she said, answering the silent question.

"Oh, how sweet of him," Hermione responded awkwardly and Jacob glared at the boy in question. Embry merely shrugged in response and when Hermione touched Jacob on the arm, the glare disappeared and Jacob was smiling again. He _must've _imprinted. Sam seemed to have the same thought because he appeared next to Embry and gave him a quizzical look which asked, _'_has he imprinted?' and Embry's answering shrug gave the response of, 'maybe, maybe not.'

"Come on dears," Emily said, dragging everyone's attention to her since it was normally the sign for food. "Get to your seats and food will be out in two." The room was practically empty only seconds later, with the exception of herself, Leah, Hermione and Jacob. "Jake, you still have your normal chair and Hermione can sit next to you in Paul's. He's arriving a bit late because of work or something." Jacob nodded in understanding and led Hermione away towards the table outside leaving Leah and Emily inside.

"Has he-?" Leah questioned, turning to her cousin.

"I can't tell," Emily responded, staring after the two.

* * *

"So Hermione, tell us about yourself," Sam said, buttering a roll as he piled his plate with food. "We didn't even know about you until there was mention of Jacob coming home." Hermione shrugged and swallowed her mouthful of potato salad.

"There isn't anything interesting i'm afraid," she offered, cutting up some of her salad. "I was brought up in Forks with Bella over the summers, went to a boarding school and then came back here." She filled her mouth with lettuce and cucumber, hoping to avoid any talk about her school – she wasn't the best liar.

Luckily, they let it drop and turned to ask Emily what was for pudding because – damn! Their plates were practically empty already?

"Jacob, Sam, why don't you help me take this in and bring the sweet stuff out," Emily practically ordered once everyone at the table had finished their meal – which mainly met that they waited for Hermione and Emily to finish their food.

"Sure," they both responded, grabbing plates and bowls of food and following her back into the kitchen. The moment the door shut, the two imprints whirled on Jacob and stared. "What?" He asked, placing the bowls onto the counter and looking behind him awkwardly.

"What?" Emily questioned, eyes wide and jaw dropped. "You imprinted and you didn't tell us straight away with some kind of code?" Jacob frowned with confusion picking up the plates that held pie and headed towards the door. The two followed with their own load.

"Imprinted? I haven't imprinted," Jacob responded, amusement and confusion dripping from his voice. "Nah, Hermione is just one of my old friends that I haven't seen in years," he explained. When they walked into the garden and saw Paul standing near the table, eyes wide and his face relaxed Jacob snorted. "_He _imprinted on Hermione."

#

With patrol finished and Leah taking over for him, Paul was both knackered and famished but the promise of a good meal from Emily was what had him dragging his paws to Sam's house. When he got close enough and heard the name Hermione, he realised that Jake was there as was a human and he quickly popped off to change into the bushes before walking out into their garden. The pack shouted their 'heys' and he grinned back, walking close enough to smell the plate of food that had been left for him.

But that wasn't what caused him to stop near the table.

No, the girl with curly hair that bordered on crazy with the heart shaped face and wide, chocolate eyes were what brought him to a stop. A goddess in human form, in front of him.

Then his eyes widened. His imprint.

He imprinted on Jacob's mystery friend.

**Finally we're getting somewhere! Next few chapters are going to be some more (only a little) … Hermione and Paul action (what is their ship name? Somebody please come up with an awesome one for me? Pretty please?) As always, let me know what you thought and i'll see you all soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Many of you spoke your annoyance at where i left it. Hopefully this chapter helps.**

"Have you spoken to her yet?" Edward questioned Bella, sitting on the piano bench whilst she flicked through dress designs and tried to decide on one for Hermione. They were at the Cullen's for the weekend, Alice had managed to persuade Charlie that herself and Bella were going to have a sleepover; since Hermione was out and there was no way to contact her, they hadn't managed to get her to come over and join them to try and melt some of the ice. That was yesterday and she was going home today.

"Nope," Bella sighed, rubbing her forehead. It was killing her not having her cousin to talk to but at least she had the Cullen's that she could talk and hang with – Hermione had nobody so she didn't know how Hermione was coping. "She's out like every day, taking my truck and coming back late afternoon to either cook dinner if it is her day or to go to her room. It's like she's not even there half of the time."

"Are you going to tell Charlie that you've fallen out?" Edward asked, moving next to her to rub her head for her.

"And tell him that i'm marrying a vampire and she doesn't like the fact that i'm ending my life for you?" Bella countered. "You know he's going to ask why we fell out and then he'll question us at different times so we aren't aware and come up with a story and then he'll go snooping until he figures it out. No, we'll leave it for now." They didn't say much more on the subject, Bella leaning into Edward's side whilst she flicked through the dress book. His ringtone was the first sound that interrupted them.

"Hello?" He answered, eyes smiling when he handed her the phone. "Charlie," he mouthed and she nodded.

"Hey dad," she greeted and she could sense his grin. "I'll be home in an hour to do dinner."

"No need Bells, you can stay at the Cullen's tonight if they'll have you. I'm staying over at Billy's for dinner tonight."

"What about Hermione?"

"She's staying over here too, we're having a big family reunion but Hermione told me how you and Jake had a bit of a falling out and I know he's not comfortable with the engagement and I mean, he's only just back and we don't want to send him running to the hills just yet, so if you want to see him, then pop round tomorrow."

"Woah," Bella practically breathed, her eyes wide and confused whilst Edward looked just as bewildered. "What are you talking about Jacob for?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Charlie chuckled to himself. "Of course you haven't, you've been over there. Jacob's home."

* * *

Hermione was sat at the table quietly and grinning, watching the make-shift family interact and loving the whole atmosphere. It reminded her of being back at home with the Weasley's and she ignored the home sick twinge that her heart gave because here was her home for the near future. She watched as Embry and Quil were hitting each other and laughing and they reminded her of Fred and George, Jared and his girlfriend Kim reminded her of Bill and Fleur and she could see the similarities between Leah and Ginny – both of them confident in a predominantly male atmosphere and able to hold their own. When Emily and Sam had been sat, she could tell that they were the Molly and Arthur of the group and Jacob was her family version of Harry. They spoke of someone called Paul, unaccounted for but not forgotten, and therefore he reminded her of Charlie.

She felt relaxed around them – despite the fact her magic was tingling as if it was trying to tell her something – and she realised that Billy or Charlie didn't know that Jacob was home and she was immediately wracked with guilt. She was just about to get out of her chair when everyone called out their 'hellos' and she looked up to see a _very _attractive young man walking towards them.

Like… wow.

He stopped walking when he got closer to the table, eyes on her and she suddenly felt trapped in his gaze. Brown eyes that resembled dark chocolate were sparkling as he stared back at her and she didn't move away – couldn't – until Jacob returned and broke the connection.

She blushed almost immediately, moving her gaze from him to the steaming plate of apple pie that had been placed onto the table. "Paul, man, I've missed you," Jacob greeted and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. _He_ was the elusive missing member of their group. "Hermione, this is Paul," Jacob introduced, pulling her from the chair and dragging her to the man in question. She smiled shyly and offered her hand. "Paul, this is one of my oldest friends, Hermione." Paul smiled dreamily back at her and she felt a trifle awkward.

"Nice to meet you Paul," she said, pulling her hand back when it became obvious that he wasn't going to let it go. "Jake, I've got to call Uncle Billy and Charlie, they don't know you're back yet and it'd be nice for them to be finally caught up." She grinned when Jacob paled at the realisation that his dad didn't know and Sam waved them off.

"Go," he practically ordered. "We'll be having another meal tonight which I'm sure you can all join us for." Jacob nodded in thanks, offered quick goodbyes before dragging Hermione behind her to Bella's truck. The drive home was quick and she gave him an excited smile before bounding out of the truck and entering the house. He remained in the vehicle, watching her skip happily and all the hatred he felt for Edward disappeared for a mere second because he had his old friend who was still small and he suddenly felt like her older brother. Now, with Paul imprinting on her, he was going to have to fill in that role indefinitely.

With a sigh and a quick glance around – everything looked the same – he got out of the truck quietly and walked softly to the front door. "Mione, why do you look so thrilled?" Billy questioned suspiciously and he could practically hear the raised eyebrow on his father's face.

"Who is he?" Charlie growled and Jacob put his fist into his mouth to stifle his laughter. "What boy has got you so happy? If he's touched you I'll shoot him," he threatened and Jacob decided to make his announcement then.

"No need Charlie," Jacob said, arms raised in an innocent posture and he grinned when he saw the shocked and elated faces on his father and Charlie. "Like I'd touch squirt," he sneered in her direction and she poked her tongue out at him. How had she been gone for so long because with her back home, and their bantering nature back in full swing, he felt like she'd only been gone for a few days.

* * *

"But how did you not know?" Bella pestered, leaning forward across the table and staring at her pixie friend. Alice glared back in annoyance. "You can see practically everthing!"

"Exactly!" Alice exclaimed, throwing her hands up in annoyance; though she'd seen this argument coming and had tried to avoid it, Edward had caught wind and managed to set it up anyway, purely for his amusement. "He's a mutt and she's a witch. Their paths cross and I can see even less than I can in the first place." Bella nodded, suddenly satisfied with the answer though it hadn't changed from the last twenty minutes and she gathered that Jasper had something to do with it this time.

"Of course," Bella mumbled, "How stupid of me." She sighed and fiddled with Edward's fingers which were clamped in her hands. "Can I go see him?" She asked Edward, if he didn't want her to then she'd just go along with Hermione some other day but it would be nice to have an okay.

He nodded – to her relief – seeing the need to go in her eyes and he didn't regret it when he saw her thankful grin. He had no worries or fear that she'd go to him – she was marrying him after all. "I'll drive you to the treaty line but that is as far as I can go," he offered and she nodded.

"I'll walk," she responded and he rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Or you can call Billy for me so I can get a lift from Charlie or Hermione," she altered and he smiled in satisfaction. "Let's go!"

* * *

"This is brilliant!" Jared cried, punching the air with his enthusiasm before pouncing on Paul's back and wrestling him to the ground. "The bachelor has fallen." Jared cried out in mock pain, holding his chest as he rolled off of Paul and sobbed. "What are we going to do without him?" Paul growled in frustration and punched his best friend.

"You're a dick."

"You're one of us now," Jared replied, smirking up at him. "How did it feel Paul? Looking into her eyes and knowing that you'd follow her to the end of the world?" Paul grinned dopily before shaking his head and glaring.

"I can't imprint Jared, i'm incapable." Sam snorted and wrapped his arms around Emily. "What? I am," he defended. "We all joked about me getting an imprint, believing it to be a mythical occurrence."

"Which just happened," Embry informed him as if he wasn't already aware. "We watched your face lose all focus on anything but her and it was brilliant, what's wrong with imprinting on her? She's a hottie." Paul growled and without thinking, shifted into his wolf form. Seconds later and the garden was filled with wolves, Emily and Kim indoors safe and sound.

_Back off Embry before I rip your face off, _Paul growled, hackles raised and head low to the ground as if he was ready to attack.

_Woah dude, you know I meant nothing from it, i've been saying it all week! _Embry tried to defend, his wolf looking at Sam and Jared for some help but there was nothing they could do – once Paul realised he was being defensive over his imprint, he'd calm down. _Paul, she's not my imprint, she's yours. You know I can't do anything to her other than protect her for your sake. _Paul's posture relaxed and he sagged.

_Fuck. I actually imprinted?_

Sam and Jared snorted, the latter bumping shoulders with him whilst the former looked proud. _Don't think of it as a weakness Paul, think of it as a strength, a new power that you now possess, _their Alpha offered to try and help him see it in a clearer light. Paul nodded and shifted back, showing that he was calm and the others followed suit.

"What are the odds, huh?" Quil questioned as they all stood around, nude and grinning. "You, imprinting on Jacob's long lost friend." Paul's eyes widened and he swore softly.

"He's going to beat my ass."

**Stopping it here for now. Let me know what you thought and i'll be seeing you soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow, yet again the responses have been phenomenal! I'm receiving more reviews as we progress in the story (which is a guilty pleasure that i love!) and it seems like every day i'm receiving either a new follower or favourite! Thank you. **

**Note, i'm not happy with this chapter but i know you're all waiting so i'm uploading it anyway - will edit later on in life if i need to.**

With a sigh and a quick glance around – everything looked the same – he got out of the truck quietly and walked softly to the front door. "Mione, why do you look so thrilled?" Billy questioned suspiciously and he could practically hear the raised eyebrow on his father's face.

"Who is he?" Charlie growled and Jacob put his fist into his mouth to stifle his laughter. "What boy has got you so happy? If he's touched you I'll shoot him," he threatened and Jacob decided to make his announcement then.

"No need Charlie," Jacob said, arms raised in an innocent posture and he grinned when he saw the shocked and elated faces on his father and Charlie. "Like I'd touch squirt," he sneered in her direction and she poked her tongue out at him.

"Shit," Charlie breathed, the beer bottle almost dropping out of his hand. "Jacob." The man in question shot the Police Chief a grin in greeting before turning his attention to his father. The man looked just as he had before he'd left, a little bit thinner and older but still the Billy Black that he knew and loved. His face was pale, eyes wide and mouth agape as if he couldn't believe that he was there.

"Hey Dad," Jacob greeted, grinning tentatively and stumbling forward, kneeling just before the wheelchair. "I missed you." The older man smiled, tears in his eyes before he embraced his son and the two hugged. Neither noticed that they were both crying and neither noticed when Hermione and Charlie left.

"Don't ever do that again," Billy warned, releasing the boy and clearing his throat. "I may be disabled but that won't stop me from whooping your ass." Jacob chuckled, clambering to his feet whilst wiping his face.

"Noted Dad," he responded. "Noted." He sprawled onto the settee, legs resting over the arm and his feet near Billy's face. "Sam and Emily invited us to dinner this evening."

"Are we taking Charlie and Hermione?" Jacob nodded.

"Since she's back, I'll be wanting to be with her again. Since I'm back, the guys are going to want to be with me again. They should get used to each other." The smile on Jacob's face showed that he was hiding a secret.

"What am I missing?" Billy questioned, sipping at his own beer.

"You'll see."

* * *

Hermione was standing with Emily and Sam, the pair of them thanking her profusely for having enough influence over Jacob to get him home. She'd tried to act like it was nothing but they hadn't accepted it, trying to assure her that it was more than that.

"Hermione!" Charlie called, dodging chairs as he made his way over to her. "I've left something at home and I kind of need it, I'll be back in a few." Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to give him her full attention.

"I can go get it if you like," she offered and he faltered. Her eyes narrowed and she immediately filled with suspicion but she shrugged it off. The life of being suspicious over family and friends was over, along with the war.

"Oh no, it's okay. I'll be quick." She nodded and let him go but couldn't shake the feeling she had in her stomach that he was lying about something.

"Dance with me?" Jacob asked from behind and she laughed, allowing him to pull her onto the makeshift dancefloor – a patch of grass that was cleared from debris – and he swung her about goofily, causing her to laugh loudly.

* * *

"You have to be shitting me," Billy gasped, eyes wide as he stared at Paul. The lad was standing there, supposedly in a conversation with Jared and Quil but his eyes were glued to Hermione. At first glance Billy had mistaken it for curiosity and interest but now, after seeing Paul stare at her for a solid twenty minutes and barely look away, he'd come to recognise the sign of an imprint.

Jacob snorted in agreement beside him, shooting his old man a grin before heading over to Hermione for a dance. Billy took advantage of his newfound loneliness by heading over to the smitten wolf and take him for a walk. "Paul," Billy called when he'd wheeled over, close enough to grab his attention. "Let's go for a walk." His tone showed that he wasn't going to take no for an answer and the younger male took one last glance at Hermione before following the Elder away.

When Billy knew they'd reached a safe distance, far enough for Hermione not to hear but still close enough for the pack to hear if they focused or if anyone was in danger. "You better look after her," he warned, eyes fierce with emotion. "She's like a daughter to me and I won't sit around and watch you hurt her." Paul nodded.

"Not like I could hurt her anyway. I'd do anything to make her smile, even if it meant cutting off my own dick." There was no sarcasm in Paul's words and Billy nodded, satisfied with how their talk – though it was quick and he really didn't to ensure Paul wouldn't hurt her – even if he was quite shocked at how blunt Paul was about making her happy.

"There's no need for that."

"There would be if she wished it," Paul defended before motioning to head back and when Billy nodded, the wolf took hold of the wheelchair handles and pushed him back. "If, somehow I manage to hurt her, then I'll hand you the weapon." Billy nodded, accepting that.

* * *

"Bells, I don't want any arguments today," Charlie warned when she got in the car where Edward had dropped her off. "I'm not completely oblivious and I do see the fact that you and Hermione are on rocky ground. I presume it is something to do with Edward and I frankly don't care, it'll blow over and then my girls will be happy again." He didn't let Bella speak or defend herself. "No arguments, nothing."

"Sure thing," she acquiesced, staring out the window. "No trouble."

* * *

Hermione enjoyed dancing with Jacob; though everything she felt for him was extremely platonic, it felt really nice being in his arms and surrounded by a comfortable warmth. He also made her laugh and in the previous songs' endings, she'd been thrown in the air or lifted dramatically. This time she was dropped low so she was being supported by only the arm resting on her back.

"Bella!" Jacob exclaimed suddenly and Hermione was dropped, her body splatting on the hard ground beneath her and she groaned. Her bum felt like it was bruised and she sat herself up, glaring at Jacob whilst she rubbed her bum tentatively. Paul, who had been dancing with Emily, rushed over to her, shoving Jacob out of the way and helping her up, dusting her off and checking if she was okay with genuine concern and worry etched on his face.

The intensity in his gaze made her blush and stutter, struggling to form a coherent word and in the end she answered with a measly nod.

"What are you doing here?" Jacob asked, staring at her with shock and wide eyes. He glanced around at the pack and noticed that the amused mood had just plummeted, all of them looking at her with blank masks or unhidden frowns of disapproval.

"I came to see you," she answered and walked towards him with a smile, throwing her arms around him. Charlie, oblivious to the tense environment, headed to Billy and exchanged words, the two of them heading indoors only minutes later. Presumably the football was on. "It is really good to see you." Jacob tentatively wrapped his arms around her and when he breathed her scent in, relaxed immediately. "And now that you're here, you can come to the wedding and I can have all my boys there." Jacob groaned and shoved her gently away, turning his back on her walking towards the food.

"Really Bella?" Embry questioned, shaking his head in disbelief. "We've only just got him back and you want to drive him away again? Unbelievable."

"Sh Embry," she replied angrily, her face flushing when nobody reprimanded him. "You don't know anything."

"I think he knows enough," Hermione spoke up, finally gaining her bearings and walking away from Paul towards her cousin. "I'm pretty sure that Charlie told you not to start any arguments."

"How did you know?" Bella asked, blinking.

"I know my Uncle and my Uncle knows us." Hermione shuffled her feet and realised that they had an audience. "Shall we go for a walk?" Hermione tilted her head towards the drive that headed towards the beach and Bella nodded, shooting a forlorn look in Jacob's direction.

The two disappeared down the drive, their silhouettes the only sign that they were there. "What do you think they're talking about?" Quil questioned, checking the time on his watch because he had patrol in a few minutes.

"Something," Jared answered and Embry snorted in amusement.

"No shit. Jake, you good?" He was still standing at the table with his back to them.

"I thought she'd have at least greeted me with something else, you know?" He asked, looking at them sadly over his shoulder before laughing without amusement. "Even when she hasn't seen me for months and the bloodsucker is still the first thing on her mind."

"She'll get a wake-up call soon enough," Paul told him. "I'm sure of it."

* * *

"That Lahote lad," Charlie started once the two older men had sat down to watch the football. "I think he's interested in my niece." Billy snorted and took a sip of his beer.

"You have no idea."

* * *

The two cousins walked in silence for a stretch before Hermione sighed and turned to the taller of the two. "I'm sorry," she offered into their quiet atmosphere. "I have no right to judge how you live your life especially since I've only just come back into it." Bella chuckled softly, pulling the curly haired witch into her side as they carried on walking.

"It's okay," she assured her, skipping over a log. "If the tables were switched, I'd probably be a fair bit annoyed." Hermione laughed – annoyed was not the word that she'd use to describe how she felt about it all. "You need to come over again, start breaking the ice because he's going to be around for a long time."

Hermione nodded. "I will, don't worry. Why didn't he come anyway?"

"He doesn't really feel comfortable out here with them, but it's okay because he said I could come." Hermione faltered in her walking and shrugged Bella's arm off. "What?"

"He _said _you could come?" Bella nodded slowly, not understanding what she'd done wrong now. "He's your babysitter now? Does he ensure you meet your curfew and make you eat all your greens at dinner?" Hermione's voice was shrill and her face was flushed with what was undeniably anger.

"He's always been like that," Bella defended weakly. It had annoyed her at the beginning but she'd gotten used to the act pretty quickly.

"He's always acted like your fucking father? Like he controls you? You're a grown woman!" Hermione growled and tugged on her hair. "That is something I loathe Bella, you're your own person not an object that he controls."

"I know that," Bella responded. "He just worries." Hermione snorted and rubbed a hand over her face.

"I'm not angry with you," Hermione assured her cousin when she noticed the worried face. I'm just so _pissed off _with him for treating you like that." Bella smiled meekly, knowing that nothing could get Hermione to cool off right now. "I'm going home; tell Charlie and everyone that I've walked home, yeah?" Bella nodded with a confused face and watched as her curly haired cousin disappeared with a crack before her.

* * *

Paul and Jacob exchanged a look when Bella walked back on her own, a dejected look on her face. "Where's Hermione?" Jake called and she shot him a tentative smile.

"She's gone home, taken a walk because she needed to clear her head." Bella didn't stick around, heading inside to speak to Charlie and Billy. Paul got antsy, walking to the food table and grabbing some food to eat but only picking at it. It was a _loooong _walk home and there was no saying how long it would take her to get there. There could be danger.

"Go." Paul shook his head and brought himself out of his thoughts, noticing the sympathetic thoughts that everyone was giving him. "Go make sure she gets home safely," Sam ordered and he nodded, placing the food on the table and heading towards the forest before he stopped.

"Treaty line," he called out, lowering his chin to his chest with dejection.

"Edward says you can cross," Bella called, drawing everyone's attention to her. She shrugged. "He looks at Hermione like Sam looks at Emily; I'm not blind." Paul, torn between hatred for her and her blood suckers and the joy that he could go see Hermione didn't know how to thank her, so he nodded and shifted before running as fast as he could to the house. He knew that he'd scare her if she sensed or saw a massive wolf walking alongside her in the forest and he didn't want that so he'd just meet her at home.

The lights were on when he got there.

He got himself into a defensive position immediately, prowling forward so that he was still under cover but also close enough to attack or scare if needed. He could see someone moving around inside the house, could hear them pottering around inside and slamming doors.

It was Hermione?

Wait, that couldn't be right. But no, it was. He could see her clearly now – she was standing in the kitchen, a glass of water in her hand and her face clear of makeup with her hair piled on the top of her head with loose curls flying around. She was staring out of the window, her face in thought and she had never looked so serene or beautiful, despite the crinkle in her brow. To be honest, she was his imprint and any face she pulled would make her look beautiful.

But how did she get home so quickly?

_Maybe she got a lift, _Leah offered and he supposed that was a possibility. It just didn't sit right with him. There was something fishy about his imprint.

**Ooh. Ooh. Ooh. I think this was my longest chapter. Also, your contributions for their ship name made me giggle - Lager had to be my favourite but i'm gonna call them "Pione" - Next chapter will be at the weekend.**


	11. Chapter 11

**We've almost made 100 reviews and 200 followers. Thank you all so much! I'm currently writing the thirteenth chapter as we speak and i've hit a block so i may delay the next chapter till i get my writing flow back. We'll see though.**

Breakfast the next day was tense; Charlie was handling a hangover and Bella was sitting picking at her food whilst Hermione was eating quickly and with force, scratching the plate with her cutlery every now and then. After five minutes of the silence and strange looks exchanged between the pair, Charlie had had enough and slammed his hands on the table which he immediately regretted when he cradled his head.

"I've had enough," he groaned, not looking at them but they both knew he was talking to them. "I got used to the avoidances that occurred for a whole week but i've had enough. Something happened yesterday and I want you both to sort it out by this evening or God help me I will send one of you to another country and you can live like you were before – away from each other."

Bella and Hermione both nodded; Bella gulped, seeing the anger on his face whilst Hermione merely slowed down eating her food and made less noises.

"Good, now you've got the whole day to work on it and by dinner tonight, I expect to see some progress." He didn't stick around after that, leaving the room to get dressed for the day and appearing back downstairs only minutes later to drive out to Billy. "Dinner tonight!" He called as a reminder before he slammed the front door shut and left them alone.

"You've got a letter," Bella stated, picking up her plate along with Charlie's and breaking the silence. "I left it on the living room table." Hermione mumbled a thanks and collected it, running upstairs to reply and leaving her on her own.

* * *

_Hey 'Mione!_

_We miss you – a lot. It's weird, waking up and not having you around to tell Ron off about chewing with his mouth shut or reminding us to study. Remus has taken up your job about the studying though. It seems Ron is a lost cause._

_Hey!_

_It's true though Ron, and you know it. Anyway, Teddy is growing every second and he started crawling the other day. Tonks and Remus are gutted that you aren't here to see it, but they understand why you've left. They barely leave the house; both have taken time off work and are living off of the reward money just to spend more time with each other. I don't blame them._

_Auror training officially starts for us next week and we're shitting bricks about it._

_I'm not shitting bricks – that would hurt._

_It's an expression Ron. I forget that you were the only one that understood the muggle references Mione and now i'm all on my own, always receiving confused looks and as if i'm spouting Shakespeare or something._

_We hope everything is okay over there and please, we want you to come back soon._

_Loving and missing you – Harry and Ron xx_

She smiled at the letter, laughing when Ron was oblivious to yet another muggle reference and wishing that she was there to cuddle them both. They'd know what to say to make this situation better for her. Harry would hold her hand or wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her into his side and let her get it all out, asking for every opinion and analysis so she could come to the overall decision by herself but still why he sat there listening. Ron would hold her hands, look deep into her eyes and tell her that she's the smart one and he's the one with the emotional range of a teaspoon and he's no good with those kind of talks.

With a sigh, she ran a hand through her hair and looked at their familiar writing. They weren't here now and she was – she made this move to reconcile with family and grow some independence that stemmed more than being just the brain of the Golden Trio.

Her problem wasn't with Bella but with the overbearing vampire that her cousin was entangled with – that she already knew. However, her problem was her fiery temper and with the vampire far away from her, she'd only been able to get angry with the closest thing – Bella. It was unfair on her cousin but that was how Hermione was. When she was mad with Ron and Harry was the only one around, he received the full brunt of her anger.

She tugged on her hair with another sigh. She really needed to work on her temper.

* * *

"So," Hermione called out as she walked down the stairs, dressed and ready for the day ahead. "What are we going to be doing today?" She walks into the living room after a peak in the kitchen shows nobody and stops suddenly. "Nope. I'm not doing this today." She turns to leave the room which is filled with vampires and Bella.

"Hermione please," Bella pleads and her heart strings tug. "This is important." It _is _important, she can't deny that but she doesn't know how she'll react when he tries to defend his actions. "You need to deal with this otherwise Charlie takes action."

"I need to deal with an overbearing vampire who thinks he owns you otherwise I go across the world where I never have to see him again? Oh whatever option should I choose," she muses, her snarky and angry attitude returning full force when being confronted with him.

"Hermione!" Bella snaps and the witch sags, her back still turned to the group which is a surprising move because she still jumps when she hears loud noises and her hand is almost always on her wand. "Sit the fuck down," she orders and Hermione cringes. Bella never swears.

When Hermione was sat down in Charlie's armchair, facing the vampires that she recalled as Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Edward, Bella sat down on the arm of the settee next to him and shot her a comforting smile. "You can do this," she assured her and ignored the narrowed eyes sent her way before turning to her fiancée. _ "_Hermione has some things that she'd like to say, don't you Hermione?"

"Nope," she answered, popping the 'p' and crossing her arms. Bella glared at her and Hermione relented – _again. _"I don't like you," she added and she saw Emmett's lips quirk alongside Jasper's. "You're an asshole and she doesn't need your permission if she wants to go and see Jacob – are you going to start picking her clothes out next and make sure that her laces are tied on her shoes?" She ignored the looks that she was receiving as her rant was turned on full power. "She's her own person, she can survive on her own. She's made it eighteen years and I think she can make it another eighteen." She stared at the way they were holding hands and the engagement ring glittered in the sun. "That was before she met you of course."

"I know," he answered and she shifted her eyesight to lock on him. "She's amazing and strong and she speaks her mind but because of that I can't let her go. I'm in love with her."

"I should hope so since you're marrying her!" Hermione interrupted and he ignored her.

"I tried to let her go. I pushed her away but she was having none of it. She figured it out and she confronted me and I could've torn her to shreds but she stood there and carried on as if she wasn't in the presence of a monster. Since we got closer, i've been the reason her life was in danger. The vampire that bit her? Only found her because she was with me at the time. My protectiveness? It stems from the fact that there was a vampire not long ago that stalked her for months, trying to kill her and created an army of newborn vampires to help kill us and her. I don't like having her out of my sight."

Hermione was filled with images of when she decided to leave and the week leading up to the day she would leave. Harry and Ron hadn't let her out of their sight for more than five minutes. Even when she went to sleep she had them on either side of her. Luckily Lavender and Ginny understood because some people may have felt threatened; she merely felt smothered. She knew they only did it because they cared about her and they were worried – even more so since she'd been tortured during a war who's main goal was to kill her and everyone like her.

"Hermione?" She was brought back to the living room by Bella's tentative voice. Her head was cradled in her hands and her eyes were clenched shut. "Jasper can't you calm her down or something?"

"No, she's blocking me." She felt the curious gazes on her and took a deep breath before raising her head, staring straight into the amber eyes that belonged to Edward.

"Okay," she acquiesced. He blinked in shock. "I'm okay with that, I understand but she's safe now. I'm here and trust me, I can cause a lot of damage. Ease up a little, you have forever with her – I don't."

* * *

_Boys,_

_That week when you made my whole existence a pain and I shouted at you more than ever? Yeah, i'm sorry about my behaviour then. I never really understood how worried you would be about me leaving. Bella's in a similar situation just with vampires and i've never really thought about the concern you'd both be filled with._

_If it is anything like I am feeling almost all day and everyday since i've arrived then Merlin have mercy on us because if feeling of worry and sickening concern doesn't go away then I guess i'll be living with the pair of you till i'm old and grey._

_Love Hermione xx_

**I felt like this chapter was necessary – shows the progress that Hermione is making with the whole 'vampire' issue. With her waiting for Jacob to get back we haven't really seen the change from her big explosion but we'll be seeing more of the Cullen family now along with more Paul. Yay! Don't worry, she's not going to be chummy in the instant future and there will be more arguments.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Just want to remind everybody that i won't abandon this story. Updates may be slow on occasion, maybe drastically slow, but this is my number one priority atm! I'm neglecting stories for this one!**

Dinner that evening was a lot better than it had been. Hermione and Bella were talking – it wasn't perfect but it was better and the two girls prayed that it was enough for Charlie. When they saw him smiling out the corner of their eyes, they presumed it was all good and when he didn't start arranging plans for one of them to leave, and so they relaxed and went to sleep easy that night.

That was until the nightmares came.

"_Tell me where you got it!" Bellatrix screeched, the crucio strong on her which caused her heels to thrum against the wooden floor. "How did you get in my vault?" Hermione sobbed, shaking her head as she tried to convey her honesty to the deranged witch._

"_We haven't been in your vault, I swear," her voice caught on a sob and tears trickled out the side of her eyes and down her cheeks. "We found it."_

"_Stop lying to me you little mudblood bitch!" Bellatrix shouted, the crucio increasing and she could feel the pressure on her head increasing to the point where she'd thought her mind would snap completely. _

"_Bella," Narcissa called. "If you want answers, I suggest you get them before you break her." Hermione took a deep breath as the curse ended and she tried to move into a defensive position but was pinned to the floor, Voldemort's right hand woman sat on top of her._

"_Last chance to tell me the truth," she warned._

"_I've been telling you the truth, I swear," she cried and a scream was tore from her throat when the blade started breaking her skin and muscle till it scratched the bone. It was high-pitched, filled with pain and weakness and her desperate pleas for death were conveyed in the sound that shook everyone's cores and echoed around the large house._

"_Hermione! Hermione!" Her body shook and she frowned, Bellatrix was disappearing and she didn't understand why – the torture wasn't finished yet. "Hermione!"_

She sat up gasping, her eyes scanning the room for any threat whilst her right hand clenched around the familiar piece of wood. Bella was standing at the end of her bed, eyes wide and face pale as she chewed her fingernails and Charlie was perched on the side of the bed, one of his hands resting on her shoulder since he woke her up.

"Morning," she offered, rubbing a hand over her face and cringing when she encountered the sweat the covered her skin. Bella took a deep breath before perching on the other side of the bed and Hermione was filled with a sense of dread when she saw the faces that they were both wearing – Molly and Arthur had both worn those faces when they'd first encountered her nightmares and had suggested getting help.

She didn't _need _help.

"Mione," Charlie started awkwardly. "Are you okay?" She chuckled just as awkwardly and nodded stiffly but his face didn't change. "Are you sure?" He ruffled his hair and removed himself from her bed when she nodded again. "Well, right, okay.." He shook his head and exchanged a look with Bella. "If you need to talk about it then i'm here, you know that. If you're that you're okay then i'm going to go back to bed because I have work in the morning." He kissed both her and Bella on the forehead before leaving the room reluctantly.

"He's not that good with these kind of things," Bella offered once they were both alone, settling onto the end of the bed. "He cares, God knows he cares, and he'll rush in to make sure you're okay but when it comes to talking and being emotional, he struggles." Hermione smiled and Bella relaxed slightly. "Do you need to talk about it?" Hermione shook her head and rearranged the blankets around her.

"I've had them before and i'll have them again," she answered. "I'll be fine."

That didn't fill Bella with any confidence.

#

"Is she asleep yet?" Bella asked Edward half an hour after the nightmare had woken them all up. He shook his head and she sighed, snuggling into his embrace. "I'm worried about her," she admitted and he squeezed her gently knowing that this was what she needed.

"I don't even know the half of it but I know she's a fighter."

"She is!" Bella confirmed. "She's been through so much and if you knew then you'd probably pity her and she'd hate that." The two were silent for a few minutes whilst Bella struggled to get to sleep when they heard Hermione moving. Bella immediately sat up but Edward pushed her back down and forced her to try and go to sleep.

"You need your sleep," he informed her and he was relieved when she listened to him. "If she does anything, i'll look after her," he promised her and was satisfied when she settled down and closed her eyes to try to sleep. Hermione, however, was trying to do anything from it and he could hear the rustling of clothing and the sound of laces being tied which indicated that she was leaving.

He met her round the front of the house within seconds and blocked her way. "What?" She asked, her whole body reeking of dejection and her posture showed a lack of fight – nothing like the Hermione he'd been facing lately. "Can't you just go back to cuddling and staring at Bella as if that isn't creepy?"

"She's worried about you," he offered instead of answering her and followed at a normal pace when she moved around him and started walking. "I have to admit that this isn't normal Hermione behaviour." She scowled but didn't look at him. Then she started running and he widened his eyes in shock but ran to catch up with her nevertheless. "Are you fucking crazy? It's two in the morning!" He reprimanded but she didn't answer, instead pushed her legs to go faster.

She was quick and agile, he noticed quickly, with good stamina. He wasn't sure _why _she was all these things since Bella had told him that she was the kind of girl to read a book than exercise but she was and he was left to wonder about yet another thing. They didn't speak for the entire run though he did receive texts – mainly from Alice who was worried about why he was partly blurry but he dealt with them quickly and the messages stopped when he explained that he was with Hermione.

The run was over two hours later and when they walked back up the path to home, she was sweating and breathing heavily, her eyes drooping from being tired whilst he looked like he normally did with the exception of some mud on the bottom of his jeans which she'd splashed at him. Seemed that she had _some _sense of humour.

"Thank you," she mumbled around a yawn when she opened the door and he had started to move away. "I know you did it for Bella but it was nice to have someone look out for me." She didn't let him answer but he didn't know what he would've said if she had – she'd never really said a nice word in his direction before.

"Don't think this changes anything," she called through the door. He smirked. He hadn't.

#

"Are you sure that you should be snooping?" Edward asked, leaning in Hermione's bedroom doorway. His fiancée had waited for one minute after Charlie and Hermione had left to get shopping before running to this room. Now she was rifling through papers on the desk as if that was going to help with her in any search.

"Yes!" She answered, reading some letters that stacked neatly. "She's suffering from this past year and I want to somehow make her happier."

"Why don't you just ask her?" Bella looked up at him slowly before snorting and shaking her head. "What?"

"I forget that you don't know her," she responded and clucked her tongue as she shifted through some more paper. "You don't ask Hermione about making her happy or helping her. What you do is sneak behind her back or confront her and the confrontations normally involve shouting and screaming and anger for at least a week. This way is better for her."

"It seems like a bit of privacy invasion."

"She knew I was going to do it," Bella tells him, waving a bit of parchment in his face and he took it between his fingers, reading it. "That's why she left the door unlocked. She knows that everyone sneaks behind her back to make her happier. Her parents, Charlie and I along with her friends." She waited till he had finished reading before taking it and putting it back. "So what do you think?"

"A bike? Really?" She nodded. "Where are you going to get one of them that she'll take without feeling like she'll owe you anything?"

#

"Jake, you still have those bikes that we had last year?" She asked over the phone, shooting her vampire a smug smirk when he answered with an affirmative. "How would you feel about giving one of them to Hermione?"

#

The rumble of a motorcycle had Hermione sighing with envy before looking out the window and seeing Jacob perched on the seat of one, taking his helmet off and swinging his leg off the side. She met him on the porch and whistled. "Sweet ride," she offered, stepping forward to look at it. "Looks a bit old and battered."

"I fixed it up myself," he replied, puffing his chest out. "Bella found a couple when Edward was away last year and I fixed them up." She smiled and walked around it, taking in every feature. "So, what do you think?" She looked at him with a confused frown and he nodded to the unfamiliar truck that was pulling up on the side of the road with another bike on the back. "Fancy going for a ride?"

"What?"

"You heard me. I have my bike, now you have yours. Fancy going for a ride?" He threw the keys to her and she caught them with a shaky hand.

"You got me a bike," she stated. He laughed and she followed him to her bike, watching it be pulled of the bed of the truck with the help of Embry. "A bike. How did you know?"

"I got a call," he answered her and she immediately knew. "Anyway, are we going for a ride?"

#

The bike flew down the road. Though it looked battered and clearly old, she rode smoothly and Hermione felt at home on the road. She started off tentatively, to the amusement of herself and Jacob – as well as Embry, Edward, Bella and Charlie who tried to look stern and angry more than amused – but she eventually got the hang of it and felt like she was flying. She knew that she'd have to get the proper kit to ride it full time, with the help of Ginny of course, but she knew that this was just what she needed.

**I loathe this chapter but I needed to get the bike in her life somehow. I haven't written the next one yet which makes me so mad but as i upload this chapter, the document is on my computer and ready to be typed so have no fear. See you soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A very short chapter today. I mentioned my struggle for this chapter the other night and it has been driving me insane! I hate the way this finally came out but with what has occurred in here finally done and dusted, I can start making progress.**

Nightmares weren't the only things that effected how Hermione lived since the war – she fasted occasionally. It wasn't like she set out to fast and she didn't do it for medical reasons – she just didn't eat, as if she was back in a memory where she didn't eat that much in the first place. Hearing what she had first said about the war and her experiences during it, she probably had experienced this.

It didn't happen often however, and Bella wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't been for the piling plate of breakfast that she'd put down in front of her and watched her pick at it, only managing to stomach half a slice of toast. Charlie had given her look and she nodded; she was going to keep an eye on her.

Lunch came around and she only managed half an apple even with all the food that was in their cupboards and fridge. Bella was starting to get worried, even more so when she heard Hermione's stomach rumble. "You need to eat," she insisted when she saw her cousin hunched over a pile of books. "You've barely eaten today and I know that you're hungry. I can hear it." Hermione barely noticed Bella's presence. "Please."

"I'll eat to your heart's consent later but for now, I have to finish this," Hermione replied quietly, her hair falling around her like a curtain and effectively ending the conversation. Bella sighed and tugged on her hair in annoyance, turning backwards before facing forwards multiple times on the spot before shaking her head and leaving the room. She knew a lost cause when she saw one.

#

_The nightmares have returned. Just one night of pure torture and now my mind is back there. I know I'm home because I feel safe, I can _see _that i'm home but i'm not eating. It's like we were on the run again. Bella and Charlie are worried – I can see it when they think i'm not looking but I don't know what to do._

_I just feel so lost._

_#_

"How is she?" Charlie asked, as he returned from work. Bella was sat at the kitchen table, going through her emails and his niece was nowhere to be seen.

"Alive," Bella answered, rubbing her eyes before smiling softly at her father. "She only ate half an apple at lunch, hasn't eaten any snacks and has been up in her room reading all day. It's like she's not _here."_

His lips formed what could be seen as a smile but there was nothing 'smiley' about it. "We knew it was bad and we knew that she had a big role. She experienced things that she only skimmed over. It clearly affected her more than we thought." They both quietened when they heard her walking down the stairs. "Hey Mione," he greeted and she wandered over to give him a hug. "I'm heading out to Billy's for dinner, you joining?"

"I'm not really hungry," she began to protest but Bella had already picked up her jacket.

"Of course she is," she answered, shooting the witch a look which caused her to nod and take the jacket from Bella. "She'd love to."

#

It seems that they weren't the only ones who were having dinner over at the Black's. The whole pack was there, with the exception of Seth who was on patrol. Charlie shot her Hermione a look when she wasn't looking - surely they could get her to eat.

He hoped there was no flirting between herself and Paul.

#

"What the fuck are you doing up there?" Jake shouted when he saw her sitting in a tree. She started, jumping slightly and almost falling out of the tree which she was perched in. "Mione," he scolded. "Why are you up there?"

"I needed the quiet," she responded, settling back comfortably and opening her book again. "Which you broke you noisy bastard." He snorted and put his hands on his hips, glaring up at her. "What?"

"You're hungry. Get down and eat." She didn't look up from her book and he growled in annoyance, exchanging a look with Charlie who was acting like he knew more than he let on. "Please, for me?"

"I'm not hungry Jake, let it go." He gave her a long look before stalking over to her uncle.

"Why won't she eat?" He demanded.

"She's not hungry," he offered as an answer, exchanging a look with Billy. Jacob became more frustrated. He knew too? "Don't look at me like that kid, it isn't my story to tell. Maybe one day she'll share but for now, let her be. If she doesn't start eating tomorrow then we'll have a problem but i'm letting her have her way for tonight." The werewolf didn't say any more but sat down quietly next to them and picked at his food, talking silently through gestures with Paul who was looking pale and worried.

If he'd been more engrossed with the conversation around him then he would've missed Hermione jumping down from her tree and walking to the food table where she stared at the selection, eyeing the meat with obvious desire before settling on some celery sticks and a bread roll. His jaw dropped with disbelief, listening to his friend's stomach growl from where he was due to his wolf hearing. She blushed lightly, unaware that anyone heard her, but still carried on back to her tree with her extremely small haul.

"I know Jake, I know," Charlie commented, taking a swig of his beer. "She'll be okay though."

#

Jacob couldn't believe his eyes. He'd arrived on his bike early in the morning, hoping to catch Hermione before she was roped into wedding planning to see if she wanted to spend the day with him. When he walked in though, the stubborn woman was eating a feast that would've fed the three residents. By herself.

"Hungry?" He questioned, eyebrow raised and arms crossed as he leant on the door frame. Charlie was getting ready for work and exchanged an eye roll with the boy. "You didn't eat a lot yesterday," he pointed out and her movements slowed. She swallowed and fiddled with a fork before shrugging.

"I wasn't hungry." He snorted and she glared at him. "It isn't any of your business anyway so I'd appreciate it if you shut the hell up." He placed his hands up in the universal sign of surrender and wandered over to the chair opposite her. Charlie called out his goodbye from the front door before leaving and Bella left only minutes later, the beep of a car alerting them to the fact that Edward was outside.

"Just you and me," he offered to the silence that surrounded them and she smiled. "Hang out with me? Please?" She smirked and started packing up the food.

"Jacob Black is begging to spend time with me." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and sighed. "I knew it would happen one day." He chuckled with amusement and she grinned back at him, leaning on the fridge. "What have you got planned?"

#

"No," she refused and he pouted. "Absolutely not." The two of them were standing on top of the lowest cliff whilst the other pack members were sat on the beach cheering them on. Paul was both a mixture of worry and excitement but Jacob could smell his anxiety from where he was. "Why do we have to do this?"

"We don't _have _to do this-"

"Great, let's go do something else then," she interrupted and abruptly turned around walking towards their bikes. He caught her arm and looked into her eyes.

"What aren't you telling me?" She opened her mouth to respond but he could smell the guilt and the building of a lie. "You can trust me, you know that right?" She nodded and wilted in his arms.

"I've had my fair share of adventure in my life at school and jumping from a height into water is something i'm not comfortable with doing." Her mind flashed back to the dragon and her breakout from Gringotts. She did not enjoy that. The adrenaline rush was amazing. He gave her a calculating glance before nodding.

"It's fine. I should've checked if cliff diving was something you were interested in doing." He let her go and headed towards the bikes, her following close behind. "You'll tell me one day though?" She nodded and pulled on her helmet. That would be a suitable answer for now.

#

There was something about them. The lot of them. Sam, Jared, Seth and Leah, Jacob and Paul. All of them were hiding something from her and she was determined to find it out. Sure, she was hiding something from them but that was completely different because... Okay it wasn't really different but Hermione didn't survive a war because she was okay with people keeping secrets around her, regardless of its relevance with her.

She was going to find it out. Time to study.

#

_Boys, _

_I forgot to ask how your holiday went but seeing as we've been speaking about Auror training recently, I can only imagine it was a short trip or a non-existent one. I hope you've been studying. _

_Tell mum that I won't be home for at least another month; I'm going to stick around for my cousin's wedding and then get Uncle Charlie ready for the weeks without her when she's on the honeymoon before coming back for a bit. I like it out here, a lot, but there is something fishy going on. _

_Could you possibly ask Remus to floo me some of his vampire books please? I know almost everything about them but I know i'm missing something and it is driving me insane! _

_I miss you both so much. _

_Love, Hermione x_

**I find myself shocked on a daily basis to how this story is going. I find that it is on my mind almost every second of the day and i'm practically writing chapters in my head but what helps is all of you. Practically every day i receive an email alerting me of a new favourite/follow or review and it astounds me. I'm never one to beg for responses or follows, i'm a girl who can appreciate meeting a milestone, yeah, sure but to get this sort of response without even begging?! I never imagined it. I have almost made 100 favourites - we've made over 200 followers and 100 reviews and coorrrr, i love you all. Thank you.**

**Pione action will be coming up shortly. Review please.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I've had a few reviews about this and I have to clear it up now – this is not a triad relationship between Jacob, Paul and Hermione. Not this one anyway. I have one in the plans.**

"Remus, whatcha doing?" Tonks asked, walking into their mini library with Teddy on her hip. "I doubt you'll be able to read that many books in the next hour," she warned with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"It's for 'Mione. She asked Harry for me to pass her on a bunch of vampire books. Apparently something strange is going on in Forks and instead of ignoring and acting as if she's a normal muggle she's-"

"Going to be acting like the Hermione we know and love and get to the bottom of it," Tonks finished, grinning. Teddy, hearing his Godmother's name, grinned and turned his hair to match her curls. "That kid draws danger to her as much as Harry does."

"Makes me think that she's the danger magnet and because Harry had the price on his head, they just passed it on to him." Tonks snorted.

"A plausible theory."

#

"Harry, our old pal," George called when he noticed his brother's friend settling down in front of the fireplace with a stack of books. "Sending a present to our dear Hermione?" Harry nodded, staring with disbelief at the books in front of him. "Why?"

"Because Hermione asked and when Hermione asks, you either do it or run." The two shared a smirk and George let out a little chuckle. "She's got a funny feeling about the place she's staying in and wanted some research material."

"Time to call the cavalry in?" The twin asked, sitting up and his face devoid of amusement.

"Not yet."

#

"What are you doing?" Bella asked later that evening, watching her cousin scribble furiously onto a notepad whilst she flitted through three different books at once, a stack of four or five resting dangerously on the bed next to her.

"Studying," was the mumbled reply and she rolled her eyes. Was this how Hermione was during exams because if so then Bella felt a wave of pity for those who considered the curly haired witch their friend. Bella stood there for another ten minutes, waiting for… something, but there wasn't anything to receive and with a weak wave of her hand, she left the bookworm to her own devices.

#

_Quileute also known as the Quillayute are Native American people in western Washington State in the United States. _

_Quileutes are believed to have descended from wolves and their myths and legends proclaim that the two sided mythical character known as Dokibatt and K'wa'iti was responsible for creating the first ever person of the Quileute tribe by transforming a wolf._

Hermione took a deep breath as she looked over her first set of notes from one of the muggle books that she'd received via Harry and Remus that afternoon. The idea of researching had been appealing but the discovery of a topic she'd never come across before? That was too good to be true. She shook a few stray curls out of her face and turned to the rest of her notes from the more mythical books that had been sent over. She only picked out a few lines, that seemed to fit a puzzle in her head though she still didn't have all the pieces.

_Magic in the tribe's blood from the beginning._

_Powerful wolf transformations._

_Scare away enemies and protect tribe._

_Creatures that looked like a man, but were hard as stone and cold as ice._

Part of it was something that she was already aware of – vampires. But it was the legend of wolves that had her intrigued - something that she shouldn't be sceptical of but was regardless. Magic was definitely part of her life, hard to deny it when her wand was tucked behind her hair and her moving pictures were littering her desk. She was a muggle-born however and her life before magic was pushing at her, pleading with her to discard it all and act like it was a myth as she was made to believe.

She turned to her final set of notes – the ones from the magical books.

_Magically born shapeshifters are different from animagus and come in different forms._

_Wolves are most common, often mistaken for werewolves._

_Ability to change at will._

_Vampires are sworn enemy._

_Human form is stronger and faster to match the wolf. Healing occurs quicker than an average human, temperature runs higher. _

_Wolves can communicate when in form._

Her breath caught in her throat and everything seemed to click. Conversations with Charlie, him telling her how Jacob seemed to suddenly grow over night, his workout being an immense one. Jacob was hotter now and he didn't wear a top when he first returned and arrived at the beach. She had been wrapped in a coat. Come to think of it, Quil and Embry were only wearing a t-shirt and cut-off jeans next to her.

How had Embry managed to contact Jake? _Via wolf, _her mind supplied and it made sense, especially since Billy couldn't get hold of him and yet his friends could. Would also explain why Jake holds such a loathing for Edward.

Her best friend was a wolf! Oh Merlin. She took a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair, groaning when it got stuck in knots. This much thinking was enough for now; she was giving herself a headache.

#

She woke up later than normal, managing to not see Charlie off to work. To say Bella was surprised was an understatement but she hid her shock well. "Morning," Hermione greeted around a yawn. Bella's breath caught when she saw the scars that marred her cousin's body – the glamour was normally in place by now – but she replied with an amused "Hello," when she caught sight of Hermione's hair.

"How did you find out about Edward?" Hermione asked, bringing Bella out of her thoughts along with the scraping of the chair against the floor. Bella looked over and smiled softly when she saw her smaller relative being soothed by the steam of the coffee in her hands.

"Books; myths and legends along with my own curiosity mainly. Why? Is there something you're looking for?" Bella's stomach curled with anxiety. Hermione already knew about vampires, why would she be asking about – oh God.

"You know!" Hermione's shout echoed around the kitchen. "I can't believe this," she muttered, twisting the cup around in her hands with obvious frustration. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Not my secret," she defended immediately. "Pretty much the same reason I haven't told him you're a witch and was in a battle where you could've died." Her words did the trick and the fight immediately left the witch in question. "Talk to him about it. He won't lie if you confront him." The phone rang before Hermione could reply and since she was nearer, she answered the phone.

"Swan residence," she sang down the phone and a mixture of a grimace and a smile appeared on her face. "Hey Jake! What can I do for ya?" Bella leant back in her chair, sipping at her own caffeinated drink that was composed of mainly sugar, and listened to the one sided conversation. "A bonfire, tonight?" Bella nodded quickly, almost spilling her drink and shocking Hermione. "Oh, erm, sure, yeah I can come. See you this evening."

#

Everyone she presumed was in the pack was settled on logs around the bonfire, drinks either in their hands or by their feet as they sat and talked, laughing happily. Hermione was sweating and nervous as she walked towards the group. Billy was sat there talking to a woman who she'd been told was Sue Clearwater and next to an older man who she could clearly tell was related to Quil – either a father or a grandfather.

Jacob was waving at her and almost immediately, everyone's attention was on her which made her walk to them all even more awkward and nerve-wracking. When she got closer, they made a small space between Jacob and Paul for her to sit. Billy greeted her warmly before ensuring everyone was quiet and beginning to talk.

"It is rumoured, that we have always had magic in our blood." Billy looked around the group before carrying on. "We had great spirit warriors in our past. Strong and brave, but they couldn't defend themselves against every enemy that they would come across. One day, they came across an enemy unmatchable. They were fast and strong, but cold and had skin hard as marble." Hermione was entranced – though she was aware of what she was being told. "With no way to defeat or defend the tribe against these _creatures, _and the great magic in their blood took form. They turned into powerful wolves and tore the creature to shreds.

"The creature wasn't alone though, and he had a mate. She was mad and angry and she tore her way through the village. Men, women and children were killed by her anger including the Chief's eldest son. With the combination of his anger and the magic in his blood, he transformed into his wolf form and battled her but his third wife, saw that he was losing and made the ultimate sacrifice. She stabbed herself, effectively causing the distraction the Chief needed. She gave her life and she is still remembered."

The night wore on, food and drinks were shared along with more legends and Hermione found herself relaxing. This was their way of telling her about their past and history. "Hermione?" Her thoughts disappeared like butterflies and she turned to see Paul smiling tentatively at her. Her breath caught in her throat at how attractive he looked in the firelight but quickly quelled those thoughts – she was starting to sound like Lavender. "Care to go for a walk with me?"

"Sure," she agreed, grabbing on to his hand and pulling her up. They headed off away from the group in silence – an awkward silence. She could see him fiddling with his hands out the corner of her eye and noticed that he was trying to say something so she let him gain the courage instead of embarrassing him by pointing it out.

"I'd like to get to know you," he managed to get out a few minutes later. She slowed to a stop and looked at him. He seemed to gain confidence from that simple act. "The things that Jake have said about you and what I've noticed are the only things I know about you and I want to know _more." _She nodded and settled herself onto a log.

"Alright, what do you want to know?" The list of questions he had found himself wandering about her seemed to vanish when given the opportunity to ask. The sound of Jacob's barking laugh served to remind him that this wasn't the setting he'd imagined it at either.

"Not here," he told her, shaking his head. "Let me take you on a date." She mulled over his words and turned to look back at the group of people he considered family.

"On one condition."

"Name it."

"I want to see _you." _He blinked at her in confusion before stretching out his arms as if to help her see. She chuckled. "Not you, the other you." His eyes widened and he looked around for some help. "Please." Who was he kidding? He couldn't deny her anything. He stepped back and took a deep breath before transforming before her. Her beautiful smile was totally worth it.

**Yay, finally some Pione action. Date is next chapter. See you soon.**


	15. Chapter 15

"You look beautiful," Ginny told her, hands on her shoulders as she looked at her through the mirror. "He's going to be knocked off his feet."

"That's if Harry and Ron don't do it first," Hermione glowered. Ginny and Bella laughed but Hermione wasn't swayed. The arrival of her two best friends had been a surprise, one that she hadn't been planning on when she floo called for Ginny.

_"Ginny," Hermione called her voice loud and demanding. Ginny, who had been lounging in The Burrow's front room with Ron and Harry, almost fell of the couch in her speed to get to the fireplace. "I need you to come here. Now!" Ginny didn't even check anything before running into the fireplace, handful of floo in her hand and shouted her destination. Ron and Harry, the two boys who were barely awake and aware were soon to follow._

_The boys burst into the Swan's front room, noticing Ginny's flaming hair leave the room so that they were alone with Hermione's Uncle who looked more resigned than shocked. "Er, Mione, you forgot some!" He called and she waltzed into the room, confusion on her face. When she saw her two best friends standing in the living room, postures tense, she rushed over with excitement._

_Throwing an arm around each of their necks, she pulled them in for a hug before kissing them on the cheek. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked once she released them both. "I only called for Ginny." Both Harry and Ron glared at her._

_"Well we know that_ now,_" Ron defended. "But we were worried when you come calling for my sister in a whirlwind of panic." Behind her, Charlie raised his beer in apparent respect before guzzling it. "So, where's the fire?" Hermione blinked at him before transferring her glance to Harry who was grinning proudly._

_"Have you been practicing your muggle expressions?" She asked slowly, grinning when he blushed._

_"Answer the question 'Mione," he growled._

_"I didn't know what to wear," she offered as an answer and the two narrowed their eyes. "Thought i'd get Ginny to help, even more so since she's always wanted to play Barbie with me."_

_"What you're wearing looks decent," Harry said, arms crossed and gaze analyzing. "What's wrong with it?"_

_"It isn't very date like."_

Since they'd become aware of her date, the two of them had been sat down in the living room with Charlie - all of whom were plotting ways to appear threatening to Paul but get away with it to prevent Hermione from hexing their balls off. As if she wasn't already aware what they were planning, she mused as she rolled her eyes. "So," she said, breaking the silence. "How do I look?" Ginny was grinning whilst Bella nodded appreciatively.

"Why didn't you ever let me dress you up before?" Ginny complained. "You could've had any wizard you wanted." Hermione scoffed and turned back to the mirror, checking her make-up and hair one last time. The doorbell rang before Hermione could form a response and she instantly became nervous. This was like any other date that she'd been on – though the main significant difference was the fact that they didn't know she was a witch.

She heard Charlie open the door and welcome Paul in. She heard his gruff tones as he greeted her Uncle and best friends. "Hermione," Charlie called and she barely contained her grin before walking down the stairs. He was standing in the living room taking up a lot of the space and towering over both Ron and Harry considerably but still managed to look chastised and nervous. When he caught sight of her, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened and she faintly blushed. "Close your mouth kid, you'll catch flies." Paul's jaw snapped shut and he straightened his back, walking towards her and offering her a small bouquet of roses.

"Thank you," she murmured quietly, aware of their audience. "They're beautiful."

"They hold nothing on you," he responded and her blush deepened. "I have reservations booked for eight," he informed her, checking his watch.

"Let me just put these in water and we can go." Ginny rushed forward and practically snatched the flowers from her before grinning at the pair of them. "Or Ginny can do that and we can go now," she added weakly. They walked to the front door and he helped her put her coat on.

"Hey, 'Mione?" Charlie called, catching her attention. He walked over and passed her bag to her. "I added a can of pepper spray in there, just in case." Paul snorted softly behind her, so soft that she wouldn't have been aware that he'd done it if she wasn't aware of _him. _She took a glance at Bella's face to know that this wasn't the first time that Charlie had done something like this. "But you two have fun," he added louder and patted his holster, staring at Paul over her head in silent threat.

"Well, we'll be going now," she offered as a way of goodbye and she noticed the amused smirk on Paul's face as he ushered her to his car, opening the door for her and shutting it once she was in before going round the other side so he could get in himself. She was silent as he buckled himself in and started the vehicle and he was just as noisy as her as they started driving away. "So what's the plan?" She asked curiously, fidgeting with the hem of her black dress.

"I'm not telling you," he replied, smiling at her though he didn't take his eye off the road. "We'll be there soon. In the meantime, tell me about those friends of yours."

#

They arrived at a fairly posh restaurant in Port Angeles which was some sort of relief because she felt neither overdressed or underdressed in her simple black dress that was both form flattering and yet not revealing. He fit in well too with his dress shirt and trousers, a black tie topping off the look.

They sat in a corner table and quickly perused the menu before turning their attention to each other. He'd just finished telling her about the first time Bella had discovered the pack of wolves running around La Push and Forks and she was filled with disbelief, shock, worry and amusement.

Her worry was mainly for Paul's face when she learnt that Bella had punched him and she knew it was irrational since it was months ago and he was very clearly healed, seeing as his genes would've dealt with it. Her amusement was due to Bella's ignorance to the situation and all the clues that had been given to her. If Hermione had been around, the clues would've been solved within days of her being told – not left to her own devices and then finding out by accident.

The evening progressed and she felt herself relaxing in his presence, relaxing in a way that she hadn't been able to do since long before the war. Her magic felt at ease and she just _knew _that tonight would be a good night for her.

Food was eaten, drinks were consumed and she got to know more about him than she had before – which was the point, she guessed. Every time he had asked her a question which required an answer where she wouldn't be able to hide the magic easily without appearing to lie, she quickly passed the attention back over to him. Each time he gave her a calculating look, and she had a feeling he knew but he never picked her up on it.

"So tell me," Paul started, as they walked along the path back to the car. "Hermione Granger, who is she?" She smiled softly and looked at the ground as she hopped over a crack and landing gently in her heels. "I only know what Jake has told me about you and even then it normally evolves around how you've suddenly returned into his life."

"I'm a book worm," she offered to begin. "I love to read and to learn and to read some more." She smiled wistfully. "I got bullied a lot because I'm a know-it-all and my best friends didn't even get along with me at the beginning of school but they saved me." She didn't specify how they saved her and though he sensed there was more to the story, he didn't ask. "I'm just a nerd. I'm not special."

"You are special," he defended immediately, tugging on her arm so she stopped walking. "You're like a magnet Hermione. I barely know you and I'd barely been in your presence longer than two hours before I asked you on a date and yet I find myself inexplicably drawn to you." He gently tipped her chin up with his pointer finger so that he was staring directly into your eyes. "I feel that if you were to decide I wasn't the one for you, I'd still be there, watching and waiting, just to have a fix of Hermione Granger." She blushed faintly and for a second he thought he'd over done it, but then she smiled.

"And what if I want to have more of you?" He stepped closer and then his brain was at war; the gentlemanly side was shouting at him to step away and wait until the third date but his wolf was screaming at him for _something. _He cupped her left cheek with his right hand and felt her breathing get heavier.

"Then I'd probably overdose in your presence," he answered. "If you'd let me."

Her answer was to softy press her lips against his.

#

"So," Bella said, extending the 'o' till it became annoying. "How was it?" Hermione looked up from her book and grinned. "That good, huh?" The witch nodded furiously and shut the book, setting it aside and crossing her legs. Bella took the invitation and sat down opposite her in the same position.

"We kissed," she exclaimed, barely containing her squeal of happiness. "There's just something about him, you know? He's all mysterious and handsome and I find myself intrigued by everything about him. I've never felt like such a girl," she sighed, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling with a satisfied smile on her face.

#

_Paul! Hey man, _Seth greeted when Paul went to take over patrol that night. _Jared was pretty confident that we wouldn't be seeing you tonight._

_Shut up doofus! _Jared groaned, annoyed that he'd been ratted out.

_Yeah, well you owe me twenty dollars because I bet you he'd be patrolling with you tonight. Anyway Paul, how'd it go?_

Seth, bless his soul, was a good kid and had taken to the pack life amazingly. He was like the annoying little brother that everyone adored – especially for Leah – and Paul had often shared secrets with the younger lad before anybody else.

_It was amazing. She's amazing. _Paul sensed the knowing grin that Seth was wearing and he couldn't even begrudge him that. _My wolf is already paws over tail in love with her; I could be in the same position by this time next week._

_And? How was the sex? _Jared asked, winking. Immediately, Paul's wolf was overcome with anger and he growled, images of attacking the other male filling his mind. _Shit Paul, calm the fuck down! It was just a question._

_Don't. Ever. Speak. About. Her. That. Way. Again. _Paul could barely contain his anger and a growl came out loudly between each word. _She's more than just a night between the sheets. She deserves flowers and chocolates, romantic gestures and gentleman actions. Sex was never part of tonight's plan. _

The two other wolves were stunned for a few moments afterwards and Seth couldn't help but yip happily. _How romantic, _he sighed wistfully.

_Shut up pansy._

**The ongoing support for this story amazes me every second. This chapter was meant to be up at the weekend but family life held me back. Next chapter will be Paul's POV of bonfire to before the date. Review please and I'll see you soon.**


	16. Chapter 16

**I forgot to mention how worried I was about writing the date chapter but it seems my worries were for nought because you all seemed to love it!**

_"Not here," he told her, shaking his head. "Let me take you on a date." She mulled over his words and turned to look back at the group of people he considered family. _

_"On one condition."_

_"Name it."_

_"I want to see _you." _He blinked at her in confusion before stretching out his arms as if to help her see. She chuckled. "Not you, the other you." His eyes widened and he looked around for some help. "Please." Who was he kidding? He couldn't deny her anything. He stepped back and took a deep breath before transforming before her. Her beautiful smile was totally worth it._

He stood before her on the beach in his wolf form and watched as she walked closer, tentatively and wary even though she was fully aware that it was him inside. He lowered his head and widened his eyes, trying to portray an innocent puppy. He believed he pulled it off when a soft smile flittered onto her face, just before her hand connected with his fur and she started to stroke him.

"You're incredible," she breathed. He grinned wolfishly and nudged her with his nose, making her giggle. He yipped in amusement and the combined noise of his yips and her laugher brought everyone's attention to them.

"Oh _shit,_" he heard Jared mutter. "I fucking knew it," came Seth's excited shout. "Great, woohoo," was Leah's sarcastic response, followed by Jacob's colourful, "He better behave around her," which made him tense and growl with anger. He would _never _hurt his imprint.

The growling startled Hermione and she stepped back abruptly, her right hand resting on her hip but not grabbing onto anything. He immediately lost all anger in his system when he saw terrified and ready to defend herself. He let his wolf instincts take over and bowed down, letting his tongue dangle out of his mouth non-threateningly which made her smile and return to stroking him. After a few minutes of her stroking his fur and him trying not to roll onto his back so she could scratch his belly, he barked softly before running back to the group by the bonfire, picking something up with his teeth before running into the forest. She stood in her spot, watching him disappear with a confused look on her face.

"'Mione," Jacob called and she turned to face him. "Come over here; he'll be back out in a minute."

She sat down on a log whilst the others ate and mucked around. She exchanged a look with Billy and noticed the question in his eyes. _Because of your magic or not? _Her subtle nod answered him and he returned to speaking to Embry and Sam about patrols. Only a minute later and Paul walked back out of the forest and joined them, jeans on but his feet and chest bare. She didn't mind the view. He didn't mind the ogling. Everyone else _did._

"Spill," Jacob ordered the moment he arrived. "What the hell are you on?" Hermione frowned at her friend but he was glaring at his own. "You could've hurt her."

"Hey!" she protested, standing up in outrage. "I can protect myself." His snort just made her angry and she really wanted to hex his face.

"Against a wolf his size?" _Yes, _she thought but then she'd have to explain and she wasn't ready for all the questions that would follow. He took her silence as the answer he needed. "Exactly. And don't even bring my attention to you just yet." Her face blushed furiously at the reprimanding that she was receiving as if she was a five year old, but she sat down and ignored everyone whilst he ranted. "You're a fucking animal and you could've hurt her so you better have a good reason!"

"You're a fucking hypocrite," Paul hissed, his face twisted in anger. "You had no problem transforming _over _Bella and we all know that being that close to her was more dangerous than my proximity to her just now. And she asked me, so screw you." Eyes turned to her and she felt them but she refused to look up. "Hermione, i can take you home if you'd like," he offered.

"Thank you, i'd like that," she replied and stormed away from the group before anybody could stop her.

* * *

"Well done for fucking that completely up," Embry grumbled once the two had driven away. Jacob was still standing in the same spot he'd been when they'd left and his face held the emotions of a lost and confused child. "_Let's confront them and make them feel like utter crap for taking a huge step in their imprint relationship," _he mimicked in a high pitched voice. "Yeah, good job Jake. Good job." The rest of the pack mumbled their agreements before turning back to the conversations or leaving and when Jacob turned to face his father, the anger and disappointment he saw, shocked him.

**It's really short because i've been struggling so i'm bringing myself back into things slowly. Other news, it's my birthday on Wednesday (24th) which is exciting!**


	17. Chapter 17

**We made 300 followers! I didn't see it coming at all xD Because of that, i'm sharing a fluffy chapter that was meant to be in two chapter's time but hey-ho.**

"When are you going to tell her?" Leah asked once they were walking back to their respective vehicles after one of Emily's delicious pack meals and gatherings. Hermione had been out with Charlie and Bella so she hadn't been able to join like all the other imprints.

"Tell her what?" Paul questioned, searching for his keys. "I'm pretty sure that she knows all my beastly secrets." He smirked at his wordplay and imagined Hermione's reaction - a guaranteed eye roll and arm punch.

"About the imprint you doofus," Leah grumbled. She hated the imprint more than anyone and he pitied her. The problem, for her, with being a female wolf wasn't due to the fact that the whole pack was male; it was the consequences that had bothered her and made her into the sour women that she was today. Being an anomaly, there was minimal, if any, chance of her imprinting and even then, her body may not be able to take the strain of a pregnancy. She was now lonely and infertile for the rest of her life.

"Soon," he answered with no promise of anything. The calculating gaze that she gave him informed him that she'd seen straight through him. "I've only just got her and from what Bella mentions sometimes, is that she's flighty. I don't want to risk scaring her away until i know that she's going to stay."

"Flighty?" Leah asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "She's a nineteen year old girl who went to a private school in London - what has she got to be flighty about?" He shrugged, his mind having asked him the same question.

"When are you going to tell him?" Bella asked once they'd got back from their family meal out and were lounging on Hermione's bed. She was watching Hermione apply a salve to the horrid scar on her arm - something she'd been doing for the past three weeks - to see no change yet again.

"About my scars? Eh, i'll just keep a glamour on them."

"That wasn't what i meant but on that note, he's going to need to know about them at some point." Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "He will!" Bella protested, "he might grow old with you and then you'd live your whole life hiding both magic and your actual skin from him. How could you live a life of deceit like that?"

"My magic i can explain," Hermione stated slowly, thinking her words through. "My scars however, are a different story. Everyone told me about his temper and do we think he's going to be okay with finding out that somebody tortured me and carved a word into my arm whilst she laughed above me?" Bella blinked at her. "I'll tell him eventually."

* * *

"Would you stop?" Hermione asked, giggling as she pushed Paul's face away. He chuckled but carried on, grabbing her wrist in his large hand before pinning it to the grass beneath them and silencing her protests with a kiss. She smiled against his lips and he pecked her a few more times before raising his head and staring down at the beauty that was his imprint.

They'd been dating for about a month now, going out on dates three nights out of the week but she always managed to squeeze an extra one in during the day when she'd arrive at the edge of the forest with a picnic basket to greet him after a patrol. Today was the fourth 'surprise' lunch - it hadn't been much of a surprise because he'd smelt her from a mile away.

He was in love with her.

Of course his wolf had declared his soul and life her's but that didn't necessarily mean that he'd have had a relationship with her. If she wanted him to be her best friend whilst she got married to someone else, he'd have had to do that. If she never wanted to see him again, well, she wouldn't be able to see him but he'd never leave her alone. Now that his feelings had developed, his wolf was absolutely smitten with her and he was quickly becoming annoying to the other members of the pack.

At first, he'd been tentative to spending so much time with her; sure his wolf was ecstatic and his soul was complete but Jacob had struck a nerve - what if he hurt her? Sam had accidentally hurt his own imprint and now he had to live with the guilt, what was to stop him from doing the same? She hadn't really given a damn about the danger, telling him to, "fucking grow up and stop acting like a fucking pussy." He took personal offence to being called a pussy when he was only caring about her safety but she'd made it better by giving him a kiss, or two or three.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Hermione asked, looking up at Paul from her position on the grass. He'd been staring at her for a couple of minutes, a soft smile on his face and a happy sparkle in his eyes. She was filled with immense proudness that she was the reason he looked like that. He could have any female that he wanted and yet, he chose her. It was amazing. It felt magical and if she hadn't been so sure that miracles could exist, she'd have been intensely sceptical about the whole thing.

She was in love with him.

She'd only figured it out today when she saw him walking out of the woods, ruffling his hair with one hand and holding his top in the other before seeing her and waving, his whole face lighting up. Her heart had melted and she almost sighed - almost.

Her magic had felt different when she used it since she had started dating him, more powerful, more strength being packed into the spells. He was good for her. With her magic acquiesced and her brain telling her that everything was good, it didn't take long for her heart to fall off the bridge of emotion to plummet straight into the pit of love.

"I could ask you the same question," he spoke, shaking her from her thoughts and she realised that she had been thinking pretty hard about her feelings for him. "You went somewhere. Where did you go?"

"The black hole of emotion," she answered, not revealing her true feelings because now was not the time. "You make me feel… alive." He grinned and peppered kisses up her neck, smirking when she maneuvered herself so that he had better access to the delicate skin. "Have you cast a spell on me or drugged me with a love potion?" She asked him and he chuckled, nipping her pulse point and soothing it with his tongue as she moaned below him.

"I could ask the same about you." His mouth had moved up and he was now tugging on her earlobe gently with his teeth. She tried not to moan too loud. "You appear out of nowhere, walk into my life and take control of my heart." He pressed his lips hardly against hers to prevent the overflow of emotion from leaking, preventing himself from spilling his undying and spiritual love that he held for her.

He was acting like a fucking puppy and he fucking hated it.

He fucking loved it too.

**I'm experiencing difficulty with this story - majorly - because I know what I want, have looked at all my notes, but I can't get it out how I want. The month that happened between last chapter and this (date wise) will be seen just scattered throughout the upcoming chapters but only because we're going to lose their fluffiness and progress with the other components of this story. **


	18. Chapter 18

"I really don't want to do this," Hermione complained, dragging her feet as she was literally dragged to the living room where Alice was doing the dress fittings. "I'm not even having a big part in this," she offered. She knew that she was an unexpected arrival in Forks and to the wedding so she really wouldn't have a big part. She'd be sitting on the pews with every other member that doesn't have a role.

Bella stumbled over her feet and turned back to her cousin in shock. "Excuse me? Of course you are! You're my best friend." Alice didn't even look up from her equipment with hurt or surprise. "You are my main bridesmaid, faggot."

"You're cracking out the useless insults i see," Hermione said, rolling her eyes and plopping down on the settee, legs sprawled as she inhaled her coffee. "But really? The main bridesmaid? Wouldn't you prefer me somewhere… near the back?" Both Alice and Bella shot her glares and she put her hands up in a defensive posture. "Okay, not near the back."

"Finish that cup and we'll get you in your dress," Alice ordered and Hermione looked sadly at her empty cup. What a time to fail her. "It's empty? Brilliant, stand up!" Hermione glared at the vampire before doing as she was told and getting to her feet. Immediately she was dragged to the centre of the room and was forced to stand on a small platform so that Alice could have a better view of the dress on Hermione and make it easier for her to make adjustments.

Hermione hated all this attention and her heart raced when her top was practically ripped from her body - she was just thankful that she'd put her glamours on that morning. When she saw the overload of fabric and girly colours in the corner, she almost fainted. Girl stuff was not for Hermione.

"Go to your happy place," Alice ordered, standing on a box to reach Hermione's hair and pull it into a bun quickly so that every strand of hair was out of her way. "I don't want to hear your heart beating as fast as it is - makes the blood sweeter - so go to your happy place and calm down."

Hermione glared at the pixie-like girl (although she knew that she resembled nothing to the pixies they encountered in Second year) before closing her eyes and tried to imagine this so called happy place.

It was hard for war heroines to picture a happy place - even harder for those who had undergone torture - but she managed it eventually. The Burrow's lake that was in the orchard.

_"Hermione," a voice called, automatically bringing a smile to the young witch's face. She was sunbathing by the lake, Ginny and Luna by her side whilst Ron and Harry were jumping into the cool waters and trying to get some relief from the blistering heat. The girls, like the clever witches they were, had discreetly cast a cooling charm on themselves and their towels so that they were nice and cool but still under the sun to get their tan._

_"Hermione, come swim with me?" The voice was so enticing, like a magnet calling to metal or honey to a bee. How could she resist? She could hear Ginny and Luna talking about the boys' figures in the water, giggling together about different features but their voices were muffled. They didn't seem to notice when she got up and made to move away. She didn't get offended - she barely noticed that they themselves were there anymore._

_"Come on 'Mione, just a little bit more." She really hated swimming, so why on Earth was she getting up and following along? She could easily just return to her towel and carry on lying beneath the sun with a book in her hand but when she turned to head back, the scenery had changed and she wasn't by The Burrow anymore. There wasn't even a lake._

_Instead, the grassy and orchardy area had changed to resemble a combination of a sandy and stony beach, logs resting at sporadic points and trees lining the edge between road and car park to the beach. Though the sun was still shining as brightly as it had been before, her cooling charm had worn off and she was definitely sweating now._

_As was the group of topless boys - or men - who were standing with their legs in the water._

_"Come on Hermione, you're baking out there." Paul. That was the ever-so-delicious voice that called to her and brought a tingle through her veins, making her heart skip a beat. She walked towards him and he met her halfway, his body dripping water. Her eyes watched with eagerness to each individual water drop that cascaded down his body, dipping across the muscles and pathing a path that she wanted to follow with her tongue._

_"Go in the water with me?" His voice brought her mind out of the gutter and she looked up at him, her bottom lip between teeth and her mouth dry, a flush to her cheeks and her eyes glazed with lust. "It will cool you down. You look like you are experiencing a raging fire inside of you."_

_"I know something else that will help put it out," she breathed back and part of her jolted in shock at how sexy she sounded - Hermione Granger did _not_ make sounds like that. But Godric be damned if she wasn't going to pounce on his body any second._

"Not that happy," Alice grumbled, bringing the curly haired witch back from her musings. She was extremely disappointed to be back in her Uncle's living room instead of on La Push's beach with Paul but eh, maybe they could go later when he was off patrol. "Done."

Hermione blinked at the reflection in the mirror. "Is this… me?" She giggled with amusement, looking around her for the model that they'd actually replaced the image with. "Whoever this is, she's beautiful!"

"What is it with you Swan women?" Alice cursed, standing next to Hermione so she could see that the mirror wasn't tampered with.

"I'm a Granger," Hermione corrected smugly though her heart wasn't fully into the counter. She truly looked like a model in the dress - Alice worked wonders. "Thanks Cullen, you ain't so bad." Alice rolled her eyes before fiddling with some of the layering, just to get it sit right.

* * *

"What are you thinking about?" Paul asked, leaning on his elbow as he looked down at Hermione; they were at another one of the Pack's barbeques at Sam's and were slightly separated from the group as they laid under the stars.

"My happy place," she murmured, her eyes shut with comfortability and her lips tilted into a soft smile. "It's you," she told him, opening her eyes so that her chocolate ones connected with his darker orbs. "I haven't had a happy place in so long and to find out that it's you…" She shook her head and smiled, tears springing into her eyes. "I love you. I don't care that it has only been a few months - i love you."

Paul blinked at her in shock before his thoughts scrambled together and he surged forward, claiming her lips in a kiss so ferocious that she moaned like a harlot. She responded instantly and the two duelled tongues before their paces slowed and the kiss turned into one of sweetness. He pulled away when oxygen became a necessity. "I love you too."

* * *

_"How was the date?" Jacob asked, jogging to catch up with Paul after the Pack had split up from one of the group lunches. "I haven't been able to see 'Mione in a couple of days and it's been as if you've avoided me lately so i never got to know how it went."_

_"Avoidance? Wow Jake, that must really come to a shocker." Paul glared at the younger boy before storming off towards the road and path where his car was parked. He hadn't come by wolf because risk of talking to Jacob was too high - and he was still pissed off._

_"You're still pissed about that?" Jacob asked, throwing his hands up in the air with annoyance. "It was just a minor disagreement."_

_"You doubted my control and insinuated that i could hurt her," Paul roared, whirling to face his wolf-brother. The Pack all stood close by, ready to break up a fight if needs be; Quil was in the woods, wolf form ready to pounce between the two. "She's my imprint and i would be more likely to hurt my Father than her. How dare you say that i could've hurt her and how dare you act like it was anything but a massive insult! You have no right to act the kicked puppy so drop the act!"_

_"But Hermione-"_

_"Hermione is a smart and wonderful woman and i am so fortunate to have an imprint smart enough to understand everything before i can even figure out how to tell her! I don't need to skirt around my wolf tendencies and i don't need to lie about where i was for dinner or why i'm suddenly making excuses to leave when a wolf howls because she knows. She knew the danger the moment she asked me to change - and you also have no claim on her."_

_The sound of a bike heading towards the tense group was enough to distract Paul from his anger - and for the group to let out a breath as the tenseness dissipated slightly. When the bike pulled up, a female figure climbed off; a jean clad leg swinging over the seat of the bike as they got off. Paul's eyes were instantly drawn to the rear end of the figure and he felt a stab of guilt at ogling a female who wasn't his imprint - and so he raised his eyes, taking in the white vest top that was covered by a leather jacket._

_The helmet came off and he practically sagged with relief when realising he was perusing Hermione's body - then came the shock to why his imprint was there._

_"Hey!" she called, shaking her hair free from the recent confinement. "You free for lunch?" She walked over, pecked him on the cheek before giving a small wave to Embry and returning her attention back to him. "If you're busy then i suppose you better cancel because i'm taking you out this time."_

_He grinned at her matter-of-fact tone and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in to connect their lips quickly. She blushed slightly and he sensed that she wasn't comfortable showing affection in front of the Pack. Tough. He kissed her again._

_"Matter of fact, i was talking to Jacob."_

_"Was being the operative word. You're coming with me." He raised an eyebrow at her tone before resting his arm on her shoulders as they walked back to the bike._

_"As long as i get to drive." She snorted and shoved her helmet on her head, pulling a spare one from the seat._

_"And have you miss the delightful chance of holding me? No sirree." She swung her leg over the bike and settled down. "Get on. We've got a picnic to eat."_

* * *

_"I guess the date went well then," Jacob said as the two figures rode away on Hermione's bike. She had barely looked at him and he knew that he had to make up with her soon - he didn't like the rift that had suddenly formed between the two because of his big mouth._

_"No shit," Seth muttered, shoving past as he walked to Leah's car._

**I'm so sorry for the long delay. I don't really have an excuse except that my muse left again. Because of that, i'm aiming to have a 3,000 word chapter coming up next - just to say sorry. Please leave a review for what you want to see in here before the wedding and/or what you liked about this chapter. I love hearing from you all. **


	19. Chapter 19

_"Why are you so angry?" Paul questioned, watching as Embry ducked a fist that Hermione sent his way. "I'm pretty sure i didn't miss a date." Hermione growled and flung a kick at the poor werewolf. "And i'm confident that Embry wouldn't have the guts to upset you."_

_"I offered," Embry added before ducking a fist flung in his direction._

_"You offered to be a punching bag?" Paul questioned, disbelief coating his voice._

_"Yup. She looked so angry that i thought i could see sparks crackling from her fingers!" Hermione didn't have the guts to tell him that he had. "She's also quite nimble on her feet, meaning that i get a good defensive practice." Paul flinched as Hermione's fist connected with Embry's stomach._

_"Good defense indeed," he commented, shoving the younger boy away as he walked to his imprint, having a look at her swollen hand. "Where does it hurt?" He cradled her hand in both of his, watching as the beginnings of a discolouration began._

_"Nowhere," she replied, biting her lip. If she wasn't so obviously in pain, that action would've made him incredibly horny. As it is, his wolf and himself only felt the protectiveness that comes with an injured imprint. Only because he saw her hit Embry was there no instinct to injure or seriously maim the other boy._

_"So it doesn't hurt… here?" He prodded her index finger lightly and she yowled in pain. He quickly apologised, kissing both her hand and her face, ignoring the knowing look that Embry was giving him. "I'm sorry, i didn't mean to hurt you. I think you broke it."_

_"It isn't broken," she told him, knowing from experience (punching Malfoy and punching the wall when she found out about her parents' memory not being returned) that her hand was just swollen and battered._

_"You should go to the hospital," he said, pulling her close so that he could kiss her on the lips._

_"I'll get Dr Cullen to look at it later," she answered and ignored the responding stiffening that was a result of anger and hatred. "Anyway, i think i've let off enough steam today."_

_"Next time let me help you with the excess steam that you want to let go of. I have a really good way," he whispered huskily into her ear, his tongue peeking out and licking the shell of her ear._

* * *

"What do you mean you won't?" Hermione asked, hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed with anger. "You're my boyfriend, we're meant to go as dates!"

"I am not going to the Cullen's wedding," he responded, his eyes still glued to the television so that he wasn't tempted to look at her and grovel for forgiveness.

"Why do you hate them so much?"

"Just an old family rivalry that dates back years," he replied with the lie that they had all agreed on within the Pack when someone asked. Now though, the use of the lie had the other members sighing or shifting uncomfortably and he couldn't help but wonder if he was digging his own grave.

"Oh, so if it has nothing to do with their diet and immortality then i guess you can overcome a family rivalry to come spend time with me at my cousin's wedding!" His head whipped around so fast that he thought he heard his neck click. "What?"

"How?" he asked and his wolf internally whimpered when he saw the beginnings of anger in her eyes. The human side of Paul was an idiot and an A-class jerk when he acted ignorant and so he plundered on. "How do you know that they're…" His voice carried off into silence, allowing her to interrupt.

"Vampires?" He nodded. "I shouldn't know about them? Oh forgive me my loving wolf changing boyfriend, how on fucking Earth was i not meant to realise that supernatural freakness was out of my mind capacity. I'm clearly a fucking idiot and shouldn't be able to work out certain things for myself."

Paul was definitely grimacing now and he could hear Jacob and Jared conversing on where the bruise would be when she was finished with him.

"I didn't mean that baby," he commented, his voice turning silky and apologetic. She wasn't standing for it.

"Fuck you Lahote." She slammed her cup on the table, hard enough to slosh her coffee onto the surface, and stalked out of the room and then the building. He followed her like a puppy, apologising and trying to grab her hand so he could keep her still. If he really wanted to, he'd have caught her but he didn't want to use force or have another reason for her to be mad at him.

"Embry," she cooed, her own voice taking the tone that she used on him when she wanted to make out. He immediately saw red and if it wasn't for Sam's presence by his shoulder, ordering him not to change, he'd be a raging, growling mass of fur. "Would you help a lady out?"

"One as charming as you? Course 'Mione, what do you need?"

"A date." He paled and Paul felt some satisfaction that the younger boy was scared of the consequences if he complied. "My boyfriend feels like it's okay for a young, supposedly attractive-"

"No supposed about it," Paul interjected.

"Lady to go to her cousin's wedding all by herself. I'd be the laughing stock," she said, ignoring Paul's comment. "If he won't go with me then i'd have to find a date somewhere else, preferably an attractive one so i can show him off a bit to the family i haven't seen in yonks. How about it Embry?"

The boy was silent, looking between her, Paul and Sam before grimacing. "Mione, i'd love to but i'm on Patrols that day."

"So i'll be going on my own?" She asked, and he nodded sadly and awkwardly for her which resulted in a sniffle. He paled dramatically - he hated it when girls cried. He didn't know what to do and at a glare from Paul, he shuffled away, leaving Hermione to cry whilst the Pack turned their attention to anything else whilst secretly staying focused in on their conversation and drama.

"Hermione, sweetie, look at me." She didn't look up, her hair still used as curtains around her face as she sobbed into her hands. He pulled her into his arms with a sigh and pressed a kiss to her head. "Do i need to wear a tie?"

Immediately she stopped crying, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him on the cheek. "Yes you do. Thanks babe!"

"You…" She winked at him and he glared back. "You played me."

* * *

_"'Mione," Charlie said, leaning on the doorframe. "Jake is here." She stiffened immediately, shoved her wand under her pillow before picking up a book and ignoring her Uncle. "Look, kiddo, you can't ignore the bloke forever. Since you've arrived you've fallen out with Bella and now Jake? Am i next?"_

_"Shall i leave then? I'm clearly causing trouble."_

_"Hermione you know that isn't what I mean. I just feel like you're taking everything to heart." She pulled up one of her sleeves, her left one, so he could see the scar that was permanently scrawled onto her. The slur that she had to look at every day. He winced and looked away, scratching his stubble. "Yeah I get it, but he's still our family Hermione and would I mind it if you dated him? No, go for it-"_

_"Woah, woah, woah," she protested, scrunching her face up with disgust. "Me? Date Jacob? Okay, yeah that seems like a great idea. Anyway, i'm dating Paul." Her tone was all the hint that Charlie needed and the Police Chief frowned._

_"Did he say something to you about Paul? Did he say something to Paul about you?"_

_"He just insinuated that i'd get hurt, called me stupid and so on. Embarrassed the pair of us in front of everyone." She crossed her arms in a sulk and Charlie, who was clearly looking uncomfortable, sat down next to her._

_"Paul Lahote has a bit of a reputation. He has a quick temper, one hell of an anger and a way with the ladies. Jacob is just looking out for you to make sure you don't get treated like dirt."_

_"I know that," Hermione replied, leaning her head on her Uncle's shoulder. "I just don't like being treated as the damsel in distress."_

_"He's not treating you like that at all," Charlie promised. "He's making sure the pair of you know that he will be there to punch a guy's face or to be a shoulder to cry on. He's only caring for you and yeah, he came across wrong but he cares. He's missed you a lot these few years."_

_Hermione was silent for a few moments before huffing out a breath. "Fine. He can take me out to lunch and buy me ice cream to make up for being a dipstick."_

_"That's my girl."_

* * *

"Yo 'Mione," Jared called, whistling and waving his arms like an idiot. Hermione blushed lightly at the attention brought to her but chuckled at his immature ways. The pair had barely spoken - not as much as she had with Embry - but there was definitely the makings of a good friendship.

"Hey 'Mione," Jacob greeted, pulling her into a hug when she grew closer. She made the rounds, greeted the pack and accepted a frosty hello from Leah who then distanced herself immediately. It wasn't the first time she'd been greeted like that and she'd been reassured by everyone that it was just how Leah was - frosty and distant because she was shoved into a really shit life.

Hermione couldn't blame or hate her for that and had vowed to herself to make the walls break some time.

"Where's Paul?" Hermione asked curiously, noticing his absence the moment she'd pulled up but deciding to wait till she'd greeted everyone to not seem desperate or clingy.

"Getting drinks. Some moron packed the cooler and basket with food but decided we should all go thirsty," Jared answered, shoving Quil over before the two started wrestling.

"And here he comes," Sam said, his voice carrying to all wolves (and humans and witch) that were in their little group.

"Oh shit," Seth breathed when he saw that Paul wasn't alone.

"Is that my sister?" Jake questioned but Hermione wasn't listening to them - she was too focused on the way that harlot had her hand on Paul's arm. When she stepped closer to Paul, Hermione cursed and stood up from her seat on a log.

"I can't hear them," Quil complained, shoving Jared off of him.

"Fuck this shit," she breathed, clambering over logs and walking quickly on the rocky beach so that she could make it to flatter ground where she was faster. She didn't run though. She wanted this chick to know that she wasn't too mad. "Hey babe!" Paul's attention was suddenly brought to her and she saw him relax, the stiffness going out of his face as he clearly tried to fight this girl's attention.

"Hermione," he responded, wrapping an arm around her waist as she got close and pulled her into his arms, the bag of drinks resting against her backside. "I haven't done anything, i promise," he whispered into her ear and she reassured him with a kiss on the jaw.

"Rachel, this is my girlfriend, Hermione," Paul said, turning to the other girl who Hermione now recognised as Jacob's sister. The identity reveal doesn't change a thing.

"We've met," Rachel answered, nodding stiffly at the curly haired witch who smiled sweetly back. "How long have you two been together?"

"Only a couple of months," Paul answered back slowly, looking between the two girls with an air of confusion.

"So nothing serious then." Rachel's eyes instantly settled back onto Paul and she smiled sweetly, her eyes supposedly trying to draw him in. Paul tightened his grip on Hermione's waist.

"Go take the drinks to the guys, i'll be there in a minute," Hermione told him, practically ordering and he grasped at the life line to get away quickly, kissing her on the forehead, nodding at Rachel before practically running back. "Rachel Black, what a… pleasure."

"I'd heard you were back," Rachel responded, her lip turning up as if she smelt something foul. "I didn't like you then and i like you even less now that you think you're so great."

Hermione chuckled and patted the older girl on the shoulder in what would look to be a friendly greeting. "I've got a couple of things to say to you and then i'll leave you alone. Promise."

"Go for it," Rachel sighed.

"You made Paul very uncomfortable just now, and clearly couldn't accept that he had a girlfriend. Who knew what you'd been trying to do before you came out of the shop. Now, i'm not one for acting jealous and i'm not doing it now. I'm telling you that if you ever touch Paul again, get into his personal bubble or try to do something to him, i will make your life very painful."

Rachel paled but looked like she was about to protest. Hermione cut her off. "I was bullied in my boarding school for the first year, the rest of the six years, i was left alone." Okay, a lie but Rachel wasn't going to find out the truth. "Shall we test how i managed that?"

The two girls stared at each other, Hermione with a calm and pissed off gaze whilst Rachel's was both calculating and cautious. Yeah, she better be cautious.

"Dont force myself onto him, don't suggest a relationship with me is better, don't touch him," Rachel repeated.

"Perfect! See you around," Hermione grinned, waving at the older girl who practically scurried away. She dusted her hands clean of theoretical dirt and turned to face the way that the gang were to be greeted by a bunch of staring faces. She recalled, with some relief, that Quil couldn't hear from that far away and though they could've moved closer, she could tell they hadn't.

She walked quickly back and ignored the applauding, whistles or snarky comments made, her eyes focused on Paul who stood to greet her and their lips clashed in a fiery kiss. "You're mine," she breathed, her hand clenched in his hair. "You better remember that." She kissed him roughly and he held her body close to him.

"Yours," he breathed when she finally let him go for air.

"Your place," she mumbled and he immediately dragged her away.

* * *

Quil looked at Embry when they were sat eating their lunch, two extra plates of food and drinks being eyed by everyone wolf as they tried to decide who would have first dibbs. His face though, wasn't one of hunger, more one of -

"Oh SHIT!" Quil shouted, dropping his plate to the floor and grabbing his friend by the shoulders. "Who is she?" Embry winced.

"You imprinted?" Sam asked, smiling proudly like a father. Imprinting was weird and for nearly all of his pack to be imprinted was impressive. "On who?"

Embry looked guiltily at Jacob who stared back, patiently waitiing for an answer before realisation dawned on his face. "You mother fucker! My sister?!"

* * *

_"What's good here?" Hermione asked, looking at the menu as she sat opposite Paul. He shifted in his seat._

_"Why would I know? I don't take all my dates here, why would you think that?" Hermione looked up at him, smirking with amusement. When he looked at her and saw that she was trying not to laugh at him, he relaxed slightly. "The bolognese is good and so is the paella. I prefer the steak myself." To which she replied with an eye roll._

_After the two placed their order, Hermione spoke. "You know, my boarding school was out in the countryside, away from practically all civilization and we could only get there by train. There was a village nearby, within walking distance, and obviously we had the people who lived there but also those who worked in the couple of pubs, restaurants and shops."_

_"What are you getting at?" He asked confusedly._

_"We were allowed to go every now and again, typically once a fortnight but in such a short town, there were only so many date places." Paul smiled softly, finally understanding her point._

_"Do you mind it though? It was last minute because the Pack called as i was about to book our reservations somewhere else and i completely forgot and -"_

_"You don't have to take me out to fancy restaurants all the time. I do like crap take-away food and movies you know." He grinned and leaned over the table, kissing her soundly on the lips._

_"You're perfect for me."_

_"Which is something you say to everyone," a high-pitched drawl commented. The girl who interrupted the couple was what Hermione would call, 'Parkinson Trashy'. The girl was clearly confident in her looks and body but portrayed it wrong, wearing short and tight clothes that weren't made for sensibility or for small towns where everyone knows everyone. She also plastered her face in make-up which led Hermione to wonder whether she dunked her face in a bucket every morning or not._

_"Hayley, what a surprise," Paul greeted, gritting his teeth and drinking a huge gulp of his beer._

_"I see you've found a new fling," she responded, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and sending a wave of cheap perfume Hermione's way. "Clearly not as pretty as me but I guess you have to make do."_

_Paul frowned with anger and opened his mouth to defend her but she shook her head. She didn't want to get kicked out for something so petty._

_"My new baby is better than you as well, so I win doubly I guess," Hermione followed Hayley's arm where she waved in a general direction of some tables. She didn't look though, still focused on Paul._

_"The guy with the leather jacket and tattoos?" Hermione asked and received an affirmative hum. "The one who just walked outside?"_

_"Bringing the car round," Hayley replied snootily._

_"With your waitress?"_

_"WHAT?" Hayley screeched, whirling round and stalking to the front doors of the small diner. "JOEY!" Hermione snickered and thanked their own waitress as their dinners were laid before them. Barbie girl Hayley had moved her attentions from Paul to her own cheating boyfriend and left the couple alone._

_"She was a mistake," Paul offered as the start of a conversation._

_"Obviously," Hermione snorted. "But we all have mistakes in our past. As long as we don't make them in our future with each other, then we should be fine."_

_"Future with each other?" Paul asked, biting back a grin. "I can't wait."_

* * *

_Dear Ginny,_

_Three dates i've had with Paul. Three._

_He's amazing._

_I want to keep him. Can i keep him? I plan on keeping him._

_I've never felt or even heard of this connection before Gin, it both thrills and worries me. I have no control over anything! My magic has started to show signs of connecting with him, the comfortability it holds for him is strange so soon. My heart thuds dramatically every time i even think of him._

_He could be it for me._

_He is it for me._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

**You all astound me with your responses to this story. I'm still getting notifications of new followers and favourites, like, wow.. I _did _manage the 3,000 worded chapter for you as a sorry and it also helped me with my muse meaning I now have one less chapter to write before I can finally crack onto where my muse is impatiently sitting (yes I still have a lot to write to get there though). I've read this story so far over a few times and I've picked up on numerous mistakes - mainly SPaG and my American/British**** wordings. I find this really difficult to balance, one because i'm British but two, Hermione is as well meaning that though the setting is in America, she isn't going to speak the same way. This is something I plan to balance and deal with and I've only had a couple of people comment on it but for now i'm sticking with it the way I am and i'll come back at one point to touch it all up and make it perfect. **

**Please Review! We're almost at the 200 mark!**


	20. Chapter 20

_"You need to tell Hermione soon,"_ Jared pressed as both Paul and himself patrolled the Reservation. _"How are you going to explain to her that Rachel and Embry are happily together when only the other day the two bashed heads in the street when she tried to get with you?"_

_"I'll think of something,"_ Paul promised uncertainly. He wasn't ready for Hermione to find out. Though the two had shared words of endearment and declared their love for each other, she had mentioned - plenty of times - that she loved making a decision for herself for once and he wasn't ready to take away the freedom that she thought she had over their relationship.

_"You and I both know that she has some freedom and choice in the relationship,"_ Jared commented, being able to clearly read the thoughts that were on Paul's mind. _"She could easily hate you from the start and decide that friendship was the way to go."_

_"But she didn't,"_ Paul countered, growling at a squirrel who dropped a nut on his back. _"We saw each other, decided we wanted to date and boom, we haven't looked back. The dating was almost instantaneous, what with me trying to get close to my imprint and when she looks back to this, she'll see it as a choice that she had no control over."_

_"So you're delaying because you're a pussy?"_

_"I'm delaying because I love her and she's happy right now."_

_"But for how long?"_

* * *

_Hermione,_

_You need to tell Paul soon. Don't think that we're stupid and just forget about you when we have gatherings because you're in America now._

_No. We don't._

_Poppy spoke to us the other day, telling us of her worries and concerns regarding a Muggle-born witch who had requested Dreamless Sleep potion so that she could get rid of the nightmares._

_Ginny spoke to us the other day too, telling us about how she thought you finally found the one and how your magic felt relaxed. We both know what that means. It also means you won't be able to hide it from him forever. He's only going to be more angry when you tell him months down the line when you have the chance to tell him now._

_Don't blow the best thing to happen to you since the war. Disregarding Teddy of course._

_Love Tonks and Remus x_

* * *

"Where's Paul?" Jared asked, walking into Sam's house and grabbing a muffin from the table. "Shouldn't he be all smarted up by now?" The rest of the pack - minus Embry who was just taking over for him - were seated around the table and were all grinning. Sam pointed to the staircase and if Jared strained his ears he could hear - ah.

_"Paul, would you stop fucking wriggling?"_ Hermione hissed and Jacob chuckled at his friend's expense. _"It's just a tie, not a noose!"_

_"It fucking feels like it,"_ Paul complained. "_Why does it have to be pink_?" Leah snorted into her cup.

_"Because then it will match my god awful dress,"_ Hermione replied and Seth shook his head at their dynamic. Edward had been telling him the other day - during a patrol that nobody knows about - that Hermione had looked beautiful in her dress and any reaction like this was an overreaction. "_Who the hell likes pink anyway? Shut up."_ Though her tone of voice suggested that she didn't want him to shut up and that Paul was being smutty.

_"When do I get to see you in this masterpiece of horror?"_

_"In an hour,"_ she replied and they could all hear Paul's outraged groan.

_"Why the hell am I getting dressed up now if I still have an hour at least?"_

_"Because we have to get there early so I can help Alice make sure everything is running fine. Then I have to make sure Bella isn't passed out and then I have to sit there and go through my own torture."_

_"Maybe we can skip this shindig and do something else,"_ Paul suggested after a few moments of silence and the resounding slap that followed hinted to wandering hands that weren't wanted.

_"The moment Bella leaves, we leave."_

_"And why is that, my dear Hermione? Maybe, by then, I'd have warmed up to some leeches."_

_"Because I don't know how long I can resist you in a suit."_

"Are we weird for sitting here listening to their conversation as if it's a TV show?" Quil questioned, barely peeling his eyes away from the electrical device that was showing football - though it was at such a low volume that Jared hadn't even registered that it was on. "I mean, Paul knows we can hear because he can hear us back but does Hermione know? Would she say half the things if she knew?"

"You know that confrontation with my sister the other day?" Jacob asked, not answering Quil's question directly. "Hermione ensured that they were the right distance away for her to threaten and not get caught. She knows."

The sound of two people walking down the stairs halted any conversations they would've started and the Pack turned to watch a frazzled looking Hermione, dressed in sneakers, jeans and a large top that was clearly Paul, walk into the room.

"He told me to tell you lot not to laugh." She rolled her eyes clearly thinking that he was being stupid. "Anyway, introducing, Paul Lahote!" She stepped away and a glum looking Paul walked into the room. He stood there, arms sagged by his sides and his whole posture reeking of displeasure. The lusty eyes that Hermione was shooting in his direction made Jared think that his displeasure was being wasted on her - or she was just ignoring him. Most likely the latter.

"Damn Paul, why don't you ditch the chick and come spend time with me?" Jared suggested, eyebrows waggling and his whole persona changing to match that of a stereotypical gay guy. Paul flipped him the bird and turned to Hermione, a pleading puppy face being completely wasted.

"I'm not leaving the house," Paul promised, crossing his arms. Hermione didn't even look at him.

* * *

"I'm glad Paul wears the trousers in that relationship," Leah offered sarcastically as they heard Paul's car pull away - both werewolf and imprint inside.

* * *

Paul stood side by side with Charlie in an uncomfortable silence. Both of them were tugging on their collars, trying to make themselves more satisfied with the situation they were in where they had to wear a 'monkey suit'.

"You treating her okay?" Charlie asked and Paul flinched, remembering the last time they had this conversation. "She hasn't complained at all and you haven't put her in a weird coma like state that Edward put Bella in. She's happy. Happier than she's been in a while."

Paul smiled and opened his mouth to respond but his response was lost when his mind blanked, the image of the goddess walking down the stairs towards them having taken full control.

"Beautiful," he murmured and Charlie shot him an approving look.

Hermione carried on walking towards the duo and stopped when she was close, smiling tentatively at them. "You look wonderful, darling," Charlie offered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into a side cuddle where he pecked her on the forehead before nodding at Paul and walking away.

"So… What do you think?" Paul shook his head and shrugged, his mouth still wide open. "Do I look ridiculous?" She immediately fussed with her dress and hair but he stopped her, grabbing her hands and pulling her closer so that he could wrap his arms around her waist.

"You're an angel," he mumbled, capturing her lips in a sensational and sweet kiss. "I'm going to be fighting the men off of you tonight." She giggled and buried her hands in his hair as she kissed him back.

"I think the dress is too… pink," she told him honestly and he laughed.

"I think you'd be moaning no matter what colour it is." Her answering blush told him all he needed to know.

* * *

The ceremony was fairly beautiful, Paul could admit that. His wolf senses were tingling though and he had to literally grit his teeth to resist the temptation of turning into a wolf where he would then be able to rip the surrounding leeches into shreds. It didn't help that his imprint was currently in the arms of one vampire.

"It'll be over soon," Seth reassured in his ear. Edward shot the wolves an apologetic look, knowing from being nosy, the situation with Hermione and Paul but Alice had shoved the two together for a dance so that they could get pictures and neither wanted to risk her wrath.

Paul relaxed only minutely when Hermione was back in arms because he still couldn't shake the feeling that the vampires' presence gave him. She seemed to sense his inner turmoil and didn't leave his side throughout the night.

* * *

Paul picked up on the commotion with Jacob and managed to persuade Hermione to sit with Billy and Charlie - neither stopped her when she complained of thirst and went up to get herself a drink. Maybe they would have if they'd known that she had a full drink on a table where he'd dumped it in a rush and that she wasn't leaving for a new one but to be nosy and follow him.

When she arrived, moving comforting arms around her cousin, he positioned himself in front of Jacob and connected eyes with the wolf who was barely keeping it together.

"Stop," he ordered though his order held no weight compared to an Alpha or Beta order. "You don't want to hurt Bella and you don't want to hurt Hermione either. I'd kill you if you did." His voice was low so his imprint couldn't hear. Jacob did relax, though very minutely.

"Jacob," Sam said, walking out from the trees. "Let's go." Jacob shot a look at the two girls and vampires over Paul's shoulder before allowing himself to be dragged away by Jared and Embry.

When Paul was sure that Jacob was contained, he turned to face his girlfriend with a glare on his face. "I thought I told you to stay with your Uncles." Though Billy wasn't blood, he couldn't deny the familial relationship when the pair insisted upon it.

"Last time I checked, you weren't my keeper," she snarked back and Bella tried to place a hand on Hermione's arm to calm her down but was shaken off and Edward quickly whisked his bride away. Emmett and Jasper - though Paul didn't actually know their names - took a step back but still remained to be sure everyone was safe.

"You're mine and I have to keep you safe. What if Jacob had shifted? Caught you in the crossfire. My wolf - I - wouldn't give a flying fuck regarding the circumstances to it and would attack him to death."

"Why? I'm not that special," she protested. "I'm just your girlfriend."

Now would be a good time to tell her that she was more than just a girlfriend to him. To tell her that his whole existence relied on her, he lived for her, he breathed for her. But then again, eyeing the vampires that stood behind her as if they were her own personal bodyguards, now wouldn't be a good time after all.

"Forget it," he mumbled, rubbing a hand over his tired face. "I just love you so much, and the thought of you being hurt would drive me to violence." It was enough for her and when she wrapped herself around him, peppering his face with kisses, he almost dragged her away from the wedding to relieve some stress.

"Not long till I can show you how much I love you," she whispered into his ear, her voice taking on a sultry tone that had his fingers gripping her hips tightly.

* * *

As promised, as soon as the car carrying Bella and Edward had vanished from their eyesight, Hermione said her goodbyes and dragged him to his car.

They pulled over to the side, safely off the road into a turn-in that led to nowhere and she lowered his seat, pushed it back away from the steering wheel before settling on his lap. It was fast, hard and oh so very passionate.

The sex at home, however, was sweet and sensational and mind blowing and he was so utterly fucked that he couldn't say anything afterwards except for her name.

* * *

_**Okay so I need to ask a favour. There is now a hefty time gap to fill between the end of this chapter and the return of Bella with her 'illness' - I have some ideas and essentials already plotted out but my imagination really isn't very romantic and this is the fluffiest story I've written before so if you guys could be so kind to suggest some dates/things you want to see then that would be awesome and I will try my very best to fit it in for you! **_


	21. Chapter 21

**I'd first like to apologise for the delay in chapters. I've been trying to get it perfect for you because, hey, it's the most requested chapter I've ever had so there is a lot riding on the following. Also, welcome new followers!**

Hermione knew that it was going to happen one day; the clashing of two worlds. It was an inevitably that she really loathed. Why did she have to tell her boyfriend a secret that would both break the law and freak him out? She shouldn't have to.

Of course Remus and Tonks had been pestering her about it for the past week (ever since Bella had left for her honeymoon) and she had yet to give in.

He was a wolf, a natural shapeshifter though he believed himself to be a werewolf, and it would be hypocritical for him to name her a freak but it was an outcome that was entirely too possible. She'd done the equations, she didn't just take Arithmancy for the fun of it - Merlin no. Okay, partly yes. But majority of the equations said that it wouldn't end pretty.

She just had no idea how… ugly, things would get. And she didn't like the idea of not knowing.

* * *

"Hermione, you okay?" Charlie asked, poking his head round her doorframe and peeking in. He'd knocked first to check that she was decent and only looked in once she'd confirmed it. "It's nearly eleven and you're still in bed." It was a Saturday and Charlie had decided to stay at home and watch the football - Billy was supposed to be being dropped off by Jacob and then her friend would pick her up and take her back to his.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, her head pounding. It wasn't a hangover and her pain relief potion was downstairs but moving was too much for her at the moment.

"You don't sound fine."

"It's just my magic; it's acting weird and hurting," she assured him, massaging her temples and waiting for the wave to pass. She recalled stories that Arthur told them of when Molly had magic-aches. They weren't very rare and there wasn't anything to cease the pain or the waves, but they occurred when the soul changed.

The soul changes almost everyday, slightly affected by day to day actions and choices - witches and wizards only ever felt these aches via a slight sting through their veins - like a bee sting. The huge changes were what called the bordering migraines. When Molly married and bonded - the first day after their wedding, the magic-ache had them in bed for half an hour - though how Arthur hinted, they stayed in bed longer afterwards anyway. When Remus got bitten, his magic-ache lasted over an hour, the whole process of soul and genetic changing being extremely painful for the young boy.

She just wanted to understand what on Merlin's Earth had caused this hell of a magic ache. The pain had been bordering on two hours now; longer than a bonding and longer than a genetic change.

She hated magic right now.

"What's going on with you?" Charlie asked, bringing Hermione's attention back to her Uncle.

"Just the magical equivalent to a migraine. I should be fine in a minute?"

"Should be?" He didn't look comfortable at her word choice. Neither did she.

* * *

Her magic sorted itself ten minutes after Charlie went back downstairs which both relieved and worried her. The magic-aches never took that long and she was definitely going to have to do some research and talk to Tonks, Remus and Molly. She just hoped that they had the answer for it.

"Hermione!" Charlie called, "Jacob is here. You feeling any better?" Instead of shouting down the stairs, she ran down them and stood on the bottom step, grinning at her Uncle when he pecked her on the forehead awkwardly. He wouldn't say or show it, but he'd been slightly concerned about her. "Good. You can go now." He winked at her and she chuckled, blowing him a kiss as the two young ones walked out the door to Jake's car.

"You been feeling rough this morning?" Jake asked as he started the engine and shifted it into gear, moving away from the house.

"Yeah, just a migraine but I ached all over and didn't really feel like moving."

"And it was definitely a migraine?" Jacob asked sceptically, offering her waggled eyebrows when she looked at him questioningly.

"Are you suggesting that Paul broke into my home last night and had mind blowing sex with me whilst my Uncle - a Police Chief - was only down the hall?" She laughed at Jacob. "I wish!"

He pulled a disgusted face that resembled one of sucking a lemon, and she only laughed harder.

"It was just a migraine," she reassured him.

* * *

Hermione hadn't even said hello to all of the Pack members present before she'd been dragged off - really quickly - to the trees and pinned against one with a large trunk, Paul's body pressing her against the wood.

"'Mione, God how I have missed you," he breathed before kissing her deeply. Her hands pressed against his chest, trying to push him away but when his hand squeezed her arse, she groaned and allowed her hands to nestle into his hair, tugging harshly which only made his kisses more desperate and hotter.

"OI" Jared called, bringing their attention to people other than themselves. "Some of us would like to eat our food without your little show."

"Some of us would like to eat something other than food," Paul replied before turning his attention to the spot behind her ear that caused her to mewl.

"Some of us are getting sick of your personal displays of affection," Leah snarled, slamming her plate onto the bench with disgust on her face.

"PDA would have sufficed Leah," Seth suggested, sitting beside her. She punched his shoulder in retaliation which he countered with a stuck out tongue.

"Paul," Hermione murmured in his ear. "Let me go. We'll finish this later," she promised. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips before slipping out from beneath his arm and over to Jared and Quil where she snagged a burger from one of their plates and plopped into a chair.

Paul followed behind her and took Jared's plate - the one with the missing burger - and sat down next to his imprint, placing the plate between them so that they could share. It was going to be refilled later on after it was empty but it made Paul feel better about providing for his imprint in his own special way. His wolfish side definitely approved.

"I'll get my own now shall I?" Jared protested but was ignored. "That's great. Fuck you guys."

* * *

"Who are you?"

Hermione stopped outside the bathroom from where she was coming and looked down at the little girl who stood before her.

"Who are you?" Hermione countered and the little girl furrowed her brow which made Hermione smile at the cute sight. She squatted down so that they were the same height and held her hand out for the girl to shake. "I'm Hermione."

"That's weird," she said, scrunching her face up as she tried to say it in her head. "'Mione is your name." Hermione nodded understandingly, she'd struggled to say her own name as she grew up as well.

"What's your name little one?"

"Claire," she offered. "Will you play with me?"

"Of course I will sweetie," Hermione replied instantly and was dragged upstairs to a bedroom that was filled with toys. "Is this your room?" Claire shook her head. "So you just play in here with toys?" Claire nodded and shoved a barbie into her hand.

"We're having a tea party," Claire declared and Hermione internally groaned - why the hell had she thought little kids enjoyed books?

* * *

"Where's Hermione?" Paul asked the Pack when she hadn't returned from the bathroom for fifteen minutes. He knew that girls spent a long time in there but she never did.

"Playing with Claire," Quil answered around a mouthful of food. "I went up to go and play but she sent me away, saying that she wanted to spend time with her new friend." Quil grinned. "Do you think Hermione sees this as practice for the future?"

The whole pack enjoyed the way Paul's face paled.

* * *

"'Mione, where Quil?" Claire asked nearly an hour into their playtime. Hermione had been thoroughly enjoying herself as she spent time with the small girl and though many of the wolves - Paul, Quil, Jared and Jacob - had popped their head in to see if she was okay, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

"I'm sure he's outside sweetie," Hermione told her, putting the stuffed dragon onto the plastic table. "Let me have a look out of the window." Hermione pulled herself to her feet, using the nearby bed as support, and peeked out the window which was facing the garden. Quil was out there.

But so was Rachel.

"What the fu-" She managed to stop herself in time, not quick enough to stop Claire looking at her curiously, but still quick enough to prevent her from repeating. She turned her attention back to the Pack outside and noticed how Rachel and Embry were sitting close - very close - and were being very affection.

Wasn't it only just last week that Hermione had had to threaten Rachel to stay away from Paul?

"Sweetie, let me just go get Quil for you," Hermione mumbled, ruffling the girl's hair as she walked past. Once downstairs, she ran into Emily who clearly tried to keep her inside but the wolf girl finally relented when she saw the determined yet confused face.

Emily watched Hermione go through the rooms with a sigh and leaned back into Sam's chest when he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. "Paul should've told her by now," Emily whispered, smiling when Sam nuzzled her neck. "She's going to be so angry and confused."

"About what?"

"About all of this. And the trigger is all because of Rachel. That girl was threatened only a week ago to stay away from Paul and now that? It's easier to explain when everyone is aware of the imprint. Hermione has no clue about the wonders of our magical life."

"How do you know she'll be angry though?"

"It's what I'd do if I were in her situation," she answered honestly.

* * *

Hermione stood on the back porch and looked out at the Pack - all of them so distracted by each other that they didn't know she was there. Paul was laughing with Embry and Rachel whilst Jacob and Jared were arguing about football or something. Quil was eating and listening to Seth go on about school. Leah had left the second Sam had arrived and she presumed it was because of patrols.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, bringing everyone's attention to her due to her raised voice.

"Babe!" Paul exclaimed, leaving his chair and walking over to her. "I thought you'd left me for ickle Claire." He pressed a kiss to the side of her head but she didn't look away from Rachel who was looking apologetically at her. As if there was a secret being kept and she'd wanted Hermione to know.

As if it was something huge.

"What's going on Paul?"

"Nothing," he answered, looking at Jacob with a confused face. "We're all just sitting and eating." The Pack were slowly looking away from her, trying - and failing - to hide their guilty faces from her at the apparent group secret.

"Do you consistently lie to me Paul? Or is just a new thing?" she hissed through gritted teeth, tugging her arm from his hold and stepping away so that she wasn't within touching distance anymore.

"Hermione, sweetie, I don't know what you're on about."

"I'm not blind," she growled, pointing to Rachel and Embry, both of whom jumped apart like they'd been burnt. "This level of intimacy and comfortability does not just occur within a week. The way they've looked at each other in the past ten minutes is the same way Jared looks at Kim or how Sam looks at Emily." She paused. "In just a week though? Paul, you're not telling me something."

"There's nothing to tell!" he exclaimed. "It's literally love at first sight for them, like it was for us," he insisted, walking forward and only stopping when she stepped back. "Look at them. It's like they were made for each other."

Hermione's eyes flickered to the pair in question; the pair who were holding hands whilst looking at them tentatively.

"Why do you have to question something so beautiful and magical?" Her eyes flickered back to Paul, who was looking devastated, but she'd been in a war and she didn't survive it because she believed everything spouted to her. She'd have been dead before even making it to her first Christmas at Hogwarts if she'd done that.

She studied him, and the wolves behind him. The way their eyes looked guilty and sad, Jared's and Jacob's holding some particular anger at Paul. Paul himself was tapping the floor slightly with his left foot. A tell that she'd seen from the beginning.

She was being lied to; lied to by them all and they just sat there as if it was an okay action to do! She bit her bottom lip to stop it quivering and she cursed the burn in her throat and eyes as she held back tears.

"When do the lies stop?" she questioned, cursing herself internally at the crack in her voice which showed how well she was taking it all.

Paul paled.

"Hermione-"

"No Paul! I've had enough of lies and I want the truth now!" Her hands were shaking with emotion and she knew that if she was holding her wand, sparks would be flying from the tip.

"Hermione, i'm telling you no lies." Jared tossed his head back with frustration and she accidentally let a sob loose.

Before anyone could come to comfort her, she turned away, heading towards Jacob's car with determination that rivaled Harry's when encountering Voldemort. If he insisted on lying to her then she'd go away so he didn't have to lie to her face.

"You're my imprint!" Paul shouted at her back and she stopped immediately, her eyes wide and her face blank. Imprint? What the fuck was an imprint? "You're my imprint," he repeated quieter. "Mine."

**Wowee there were more words in this chapter than I expected and I still didn't get everything in my plan down. Next chapter will have the rest of the confrontation down. ALSO, those of you who have dropped date suggestions in my reviews are absolute stars and I will be thanking you all publicly when the time comes for giving me such good help! I think I've decided to include all of them at some stage xD If you have anything you want to see and you haven't suggested it, then do so now or forever hold your peace because i'm going to be hitting a deadline soon where I can not deviate from my plan. These next few chapters, eh, it doesn't bother me as much. Please, as always, review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Added to five communities, two hundred favourites and nearly four hundred follows. Wow. Thank you!**

"_You're my imprint!" Paul shouted at her back and she stopped immediately, her eyes wide and her face blank. Imprint? What the fuck was an imprint? "You're my imprint," he repeated quieter. "Mine."_

She turned around slowly, her eyes immediately shooting to Paul's face. He was starting to look devastated and the way his hand kept tugging on his hair, she could tell he was frustrated but it seemed he was aiming that frustration at himself. Her eyes skipped over his foot - that wasn't tapping - before landing on Jacob who nodded subtly when he saw her looking at him.

So Paul was now telling the truth.

"I'm an imprint?" she asked, her voice making it a question. Paul nodded choppily and she took a step forward in his direction. She needed to comfort him, he looked so… _dejected. _Hang on, she was pissed off at him a second ago! No, she did not need to comfort him. "What's an imprint?"

"You're my other half," Paul offered, raising his arms in a sort of shrug before slapping his hands against his thigh.

"Like love at first sight?" She took another step forward.

"No, not exactly. It's _more _than that. It's more like… gravity moves… suddenly. It's not the earth holding me here anymore, you do. I become whatever you need me to be, whether it be a protector, lover or a friend. My life is yours."

Her breath caught in her throat at the raw emotion he was portraying on his face.

"So… you're like a slave to me?"

"Yes," he answered before changing it quickly to, "No," when her face soured. "I'm yours. If you don't want me anymore then I'll just follow you anyway, making sure you're safe and happy. You don't really get a say in if I'm in your life other than _how _I'm in your life." He took a step forward.

"Out of all the women in the world, why me?" She stepped forward.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Why not you? You're everything I could ever want wrapped in one amazing, beautiful, perfect person."

"So you didn't choose me?" He shook his head as answer and was about to tell her that it was an involuntary action but a soft sob escaped her and he closed the gap between them, cradling her face in his hands.

"My wolf chose you, my soul. My heart just chose to fall head over heels in love with you. If I had the chance to choose anyone, it would've been you. Does it really matter if I didn't get first say?"

Her eyes were fighting the tears as she stared up at him.

"I love you Hermione."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. It started ferocious and passionate, both of them trying to convey their feelings and all the emotion that they were having to deal with, before it slowed and softened, becoming a kiss that was so sweet and filled with love that it made her toes curl.

"I love you too."

* * *

The two were laying in his bed, their bodies entwined and each of them touching each other to reassure themselves that they were there together.

"I love this," he murmured in her hair, nuzzling the curls so that his face was practically covered. She worried at how he was managing to breathe. "No more secrets, I love it."

Her stomach dropped and she thought she was going to be sick.

No secrets, right. She was going to have to work on that. Soon.

* * *

"What are we doing out here Paul?" Hermione asked, her hand clasped firmly in his own as he practically dragged her along the street. "I thought we were going to be spending the day at your place. In your bed," she suggested, her voice taking on a tone that made him groan.

"We are here, because as much as I love having sex with you and as much as I know you adore it, there are other things in this world that I know you enjoy."

She eyed him curiously and only dragged her eyes away from him - and his rear end - when they stopped outside of a shop.

A bookshop.

She gasped, eyes wide and her hand coming to cover her mouth as she looked through the windows. The thought of going in there was incredible! The knowledge that that small shop contained was enough to give her shivers and to keep her mind busy for days.

"Are you going to go in or are we going to stand here and look at it all day?"

Hermione turned to Paul, her grin nearly taking over her whole face. "Do you even know what you've done?"

"Taken you to a bookshop so that you can research imprinting? Yeah, i'm pretty sure I know." He started walking towards the shop, tugging on her hand gently. "I was going to take you to a library but I figured that was such a high school move and we're adults so this is the step up." She chuckled at him and followed him into the store, the smell of the books making her feel amazing. "Well, off you pop!"

She laughed at him before beginning to slowly scour the aisles.

* * *

_Where are you? - Jared_

_On date with Mione, talk later? - Paul_

_Ooh, what're you doing? Sure - Jared_

_We're at a bookshop - Paul_

Jared looked up from his phone and exchanged a look with Jacob who was peeking over his shoulder. "Well," Jacob started. "I find it slightly horrifying that he's happy sitting there when I didn't even know he could read."

The two boys chuckled.

* * *

"Tell me more about the imprint," Hermione said when the two of them were sat on a bench, munching on sandwiches.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything!" she demanded, grinning at him with a grin that only grew in size when he grinned back at her.

"So the moment you looked at me that was it?" Hermione asked, both feet on the bench as she faced him, her arms wrapped around her knees which were being used as a chin rest. "Like, an instantaneous bond?" He nodded and she sighed. "That's really kind of romantic."

* * *

"You would've seriously killed Jacob?" she asked in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock.

"If he'd hurt you in any physical way then definitely. It's my right. We all know that." She looked like she was struggling to swallow that fact and so he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side. "Let's look at it this way; you are mine and I am yours. If some random chick came over to me and scratched up my face, are you going to sit there and kiss my wounds better and let her get away with it or are you going to get revenge somehow?"

The spark of anger in her eyes at the mere thought was his answer.

"The only difference for us wolves, is that we actually would kill."

* * *

"Does he know yet?" Charlie asked that night at dinner. Hermione took a deep breath and shook her head, her gut filling with guilt immediately. "When are you going to tell him?"

"Soon?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, laughing sadly at herself.

* * *

"Hey, look who it is! The wicked witch of Forks," Emmett teased, ruffling her curls as she walked into the Cullen's home. "How you doing?" She laughed at him and shoved him away from her, walking more into the house that she'd become familiar with. Esme looked up from her book and smiled when she saw her, raising from her seat and giving her a hug.

"Hermione, we weren't expecting you," she commented, smiling despite her unexpected visit.

"I did," Alice exclaimed, gracefully running down the stairs as if she was a fairy. "I'm not sure how we can help you with that though," she said doubtfully, tilting her head to the side as if she was trying to shake a thought free.

"Help with what?" Emmett asked, his brow furrowing with worry. "Bella will kill us if something happens to her on our watch."

"It's nothing _bad,_" Hermione reassured them, smiling stiffly. "I'm just struggling with how to tell the other half of my soul that i'm a witch."

"So you finally know about the imprint then?" Hermione nodded and wandered over to the nearest chair, dropping into it heavily.

"He's happy now, ya'know? Like this huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He even acts different. He'll randomly reach out for my hand or pull me into his arms or kiss me and he doesn't have to lie about the reasoning. Before he'd say that it was because he just loved me but now it's because the wolf is feeling some longing for me or he's worried or he just needs reassurance that i'm fine."

"And now he's happier, you're not?" Esme asked, sitting on the arm of Hermione's seat, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hermione shrugged. "He needs to know and i'm sure you've been told this by everyone but he deserves the truth."

"I know that but I don't want him to look at me in disgust."

"He couldn't do that," Esme replied immediately. "He's yours and your his. He has no choice but to love you."

"He won't be disgusted with you when he finds out," Alice commented, staring out the window. Hermione sagged with relief before frowning.

"I thought you couldn't _see _anything to do with the wolves."

"I can't. You come to us afterwards and tell us that he's okay with it." Hermione nodded.

"So you have no clue how I tell him?" Alice shook her head and Hermione sighed. "Great."

* * *

"Hermione! Where are you?" Paul asked, his tone worried. "I went to Charlie's but you weren't there and he said he hadn't seen you."

"Paul, calm down. I'm with the Cullens." She heard his breathing escalate and she realised that that probably wasn't the best thing to say to a worried wolf who held a natural hatred for them. "I'm fine. They fed yesterday."

"That doesn't make me feel better 'Mione," he said through gritted teeth. "Get to the treaty line and I'll pick you up."

"I can drop you off," Emmett offered. Paul grumbled something about leeches and Emmett grinned, opening his mouth to say something but a glare from Hermione and a stroke of her wand, had him refraining.

"I'll meet you in a few minutes, okay?" Paul barely managed a goodbye before hanging up and Hermione knew that it was because he thought she couldn't protect herself against them. Yet another reason for her to tell him about her magic.

"Come on Glinda, let's get going."

* * *

"Where is he?" Hermione asked, puffing out a breath in annoyance. "He's the one who hates me being with you lot and yet he's late." Emmett laughed at her before pointing over her shoulder into the woods.

"It seems he wasn't so calm after all," the large vampire murmured, waving at her before turning back to his car when a silver wolf walked out of the woods. She felt herself relax in his presence and grinned when he nuzzled against her.

"I'm not walking back," she told him, glaring at the long road that it looked like she was going to be taking. "You better call Jared to come pick us up or something because i'm not walking back to yours." He chuckled in his wolf form which made a delightful sound that she would've told him was cute if it wasn't for the fact he'd growl at her.

He lowered his body till his head was at her waist and she stared at him. "What are you trying to tell me?" He nudged her again, positioning himself closer to her. "You want me to get on?" He nodded, nudging her again and she tentatively climbed onto his back, settling herself down in his fur which was a lot softer than she'd ever thought it would be.

She could fall asleep like this.

* * *

"Woah," Jared exclaimed, his nose scrunching up in disgust. "Someone smells fucking horrendous." The rest of the Pack took a tentative sniff, trying to smell what he could and their sense were overwhelmed with the remnants of leech mixed with wolf.

All eyes landed on Hermione.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Fuck you guys!" Paul laughed, pulling her into his side and nuzzling her neck.

"You smell fine to me," he mumbled to her and she snorted.

"Yeah? That's because you're only smelling the area where you've scent marked me. I'm going to smell to you guys until I have a shower or we have sex so you can scent mark me everywhere."

Jared looked at the couple with wide eyes at how blunt she was at what they did. None of the other imprints ever spoke about that sort of thing. He turned to face Kim with hopeful eyes.

"Don't fucking think about it," she told him without even looking in his direction.

* * *

"What are you doing this weekend?" Paul asked as he dropped her off at Charlie's the next morning. He'd successfully 'scent marked' her everywhere and was looking at the hickeys on her neck which were more of a physical claim on her.

"Nothing," she said around a yawn. His ego fluffed up a bit, feeling proud that he'd kept her awake half the night. "What have you got planned?"

"Camping?" he suggested. "You. Me. A tent. Nature. And no disturbances for two whole days."

A look of horror flashed across her face before she could pull on her blank mask and Paul vowed to think about that later. He was missing something, yet again.

"Sure, it sounds like fun."

**The bookstore date and Hermione riding on Paul's back were both reviewer suggestions so thank you. They would've been more in detail but I feel I couldn't have done that very well what with Hermione becoming deliriously in love with all the new reading material available to her and Paul being unable to speak. I also wanted to skip lightly over a couple of days so we made it to the event that is happening next chapter.**

**ALSO, I need help deciding what pairing to write a drabble series on. They're all HP characters and i'm not asking you to read it, i'm just asking you to pick one name out of ten so I can write xD I don't mind if you don't but i'd really appreciate it if you did :) See you soon!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Many of you are right with what is about to happen.**

Charlie, as a cop, was trained in interrogations and looking for clues and general people reading. He wasn't a man of words, choosing instead to sit back and look at everything through calculating glances.

He wasn't stupid.

He could tell that Bella was hiding something from him - had been ever since she got with Edward; he also knew that Hermione and Jacob shared a secret, one that had no relation to her magic. He didn't complain though. They'd tell him when he was ready. But it was because of his people reading skills that he knew Hermione was more nervous for this mini camping trip than she was letting on.

They'd discussed the war and he knew that she'd spent plenty of time camping, fighting for her life. He knew this was going to serve as a reminder. He just hoped Paul could help her through it.

* * *

"Sam? Is it possible for us to have two on patrol tonight?" Paul asked. Sam looked at him with an unreadable look, one that felt like he was looking into his soul and nodded slowly.

"Anything I should be worried about?" Paul shook his head for the negative, smiling in relief.

"Hermione just seemed a bit… tentative to go on this trip with me. As if she was afraid of something. I figured that if she knew we had a bit more protection whilst out there, then she wouldn't find it so bad."

"So you're using a Pack member for your own selfish needs?"

"Yep," Paul confirmed. "She's my imprint."

* * *

"We should probably get going," Paul huffed, ripping his face away from Hermione so that he stopped kissing her. She really was irresistible and her lips were like magnets.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" she breathed into his ear, her tongue poking out and tasting his skin. He shivered and swallowed a groan, placing his hands on her waist and physically moving her away from him. "Fiiiiine," she pouted and he grinned at her.

"Come on, we have one hell of a trek." She stared at him with wide eyed. "What?"

"We're walking?" she gasped. He nodded, stifling a laugh at the look on her face. "Why do you hate me so much?" she whined and he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. It was loud and echoed around Sam's garden and it brought a smile to her face.

"If you behave, I'll let you ride me."

"Ooh, promise?" she asked, her voice husky. He thought back on his words and sent her a panty-dropping smirk and a wink. "What if I don't behave?"

"Then you'll get punished."

"And how will you punish me, Mr Lahote?" she asked, linking their fingers together and staring up at him.

"I'll make you walk further," he whispered to her and laughed again when her features turned into a cute little frown.

* * *

The tent that they were staying in resembled the tent that she used at the Quidditch World Cup or when they were on the run. The sight of it gave her shivers - neither turned out how they'd planned.

"What if a bear gets us?" Hermione asked, chewing her bottom lip. She knew that if she kept it up then she'd cause the skin to tear and bleed.

"Look," Paul started, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "I can sense that you don't want to go camping with me. All you had to do was say."

"I do want to go with you," she protested, turning in his arms so that she could face him. "I just have… memories about camping. I went camping with my parents you know." She wasn't lying. She _did _go camping with her parents and she did have memories of that. She just wasn't admitting that they weren't the memories bothering her.

"I do understand if you want to go back. We can go to a hotel or something," he offered, giving her a way out which he wasn't too opposed to.

"No," she said eventually, shaking her head. "It's about time I made some better ones, don't you think?"

* * *

Paul was thankful that the afternoon patrol only had one Pack member due to the sounds of sex that drifted through the material. The smell of sex was just as bad.

* * *

"'Mione, you coming to bed?" Paul asked, standing up from the log they were sitting on and heading to the tent's entrance.

"Nah, I'll take first watch," she replied absentmindedly. He laughed a short and confused laugh at her comment and looked at her, waiting to see a teasing expression. She looked… ready. For what, he didn't know.

"Hermione," he said, catching her attention. "Why are you taking 'first watch'? Don't you think I can protect you?" He asked the question with a little smile.

"First watch? Oh, sorry, it's just something me and my friends said to each other when we went camping." She kicked soil over the fire and followed him into their small tent, the pair of them lying down and getting comfortable.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear and she smiled, snuggling into his chest.

* * *

"Why aren't you going to sleep?" Emily asked around a yawn, standing in the living room doorway, eyeing her imprint and the rest of the pack. "It's late."

"I have a feeling," Sam replied, walking over and pecking her on the forehead. "I hope it's nothing but we're here and awake just to make sure."

* * *

Hermione awoke with a gasp, her body stiffening and her eyes quickly scanning her surroundings. She was in a tent, and through the gap in the tent she could see that she was in a forest.

She laid her head back down on her pillow, her eyes drifting shut as she looked back on the events that happened lately. Ron had left them alone, just her and Harry when he (them) needed him the most. Now it was just the pair of them to do the most impossible task.

A warm arm laid itself across her waist, the hand settling itself on her boob over her top and her eyes popped open. Fuck. What the hell was going on?

She barely registered that the tent was muggle sized, smaller than the one she'd used when in the Wizarding world. She quickly rolled out of the small bed, scrambling to get her shoes on before searching through the two bags for her wand. It was sat at the bottom of the second one. She didn't even realise that her bag was a muggle rucksack with no expansion charms on them at all.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" a gruff voice asked, one laced with sleep. She turned slowly, her wand pointing in the direction of the bed. She couldn't see anything in the darkness, and seeing as he hadn't attacked her yet, she figured that finding out who this man was, wasn't too dangerous. Although it could be.

"_Lumos," _she murmured and watched as light lit up the tent. He was handsome and definitely someone that she'd never met before. "Where am I?"

"Hermione, we're in the woods. God, are you feeling okay?" he asked. His face showed genuine concern and she looked around before walking out of the tent quickly. "Hermione?"

She looked around, ignoring the man inside who was creating noises that sounded as if he was getting ready to come out. She couldn't see Harry anywhere which meant either she'd been taken somewhere else or, and even possibly an and, he'd been disposed off. Either way, she wasn't safe here.

The moon shone brightly above her, filtering through the leaves above. Merlin she needed to get out of here.

With the new news over the radio (Potterwatch), Hermione had become aware of the new magic tracing spells that had been placed over all apparition in the country. Harry and herself had been discussing a counter spell but for the time being, she was going to have to leave via foot to reduce Snatcher chances.

"Hermione, what are you doing out here?"

She flinched at the closeness of the voice and ran. She avoided trees and bushes, jumping skilfully over fallen logs and large branches that would serve to hinder her movement. She ignored the man's calls for her and just kept moving.

It was only seconds later that she heard something large moving beside her through the bushes. She slowed to a stop, her eyes wide and wand ready for anything.

She saw the eyes first. The eyes of a very large creature.

The creature walked slowly out of the bushes, to stand in front of her at a respectable distance. It was close enough to attack and cause damage as well as avoiding a spell that she'd aim but he was still far enough away for her to get him with some sort of spell as well as fleeing - though she didn't know how long she'd last.

How long could a witch last against a wolf the size of a small car?

"Stay back," she warned, raising her wand a notch. "I am not afraid to hurt you." The wolf tilted his head to the side, looking at her with a look that sent shivers down her spine. It looked like it was sizing her up to eat. He took a step forward. "Don't fucking tempt me," she hissed.

"Hermione, babe, come back!" the voice called and the wolf looked at her before looking in the direction the voice called. She didn't waste the second of his distraction and took up her run again, putting the sound of his pounding feet to the back of her mind. A piercing howl broke the silence of the forest and caused goosebumps to appear.

What made it worse was that it wasn't from the wolf behind her.

There was more than one.

* * *

"_Fucking hell," _Jared complained, "_You'd think that they'd at least be quiet during their night time sex - especially since Paul requested another one of us out here."_

"_Who's making the most noise?" _Quil asked, "_If it's Paul then we can use it against him."_

"_It is Paul actually. He's shouting her name pretty loud."_

"_I wonder what she's doing," _Quil mused, "_She must be pretty good for him to be so loud. We've never heard him during any of his sexual adventures before her."_

"_She's his imprint doofus. Everything she does is doubly better than how others did it. Unless it's food. I've tried her cooking and we all agree it's shit."_

"Hermione, stop running!" Paul shouted and Jared frowned, his nose sniffing out the direction she'd gone and followed curiously. He could smell fear and when he got closer he could tell that it came from her - she reeked of it. Something wasn't right.

"_Quil, keep patrolling but get ready," _Jared warned.

"_For what?"_

"_I don't know yet."_

Jared stopped running a minute late when he'd successfully caught up with her. She knew he was out there and so he walked slowly through the bushes till he stood in front of her. The fear was still there and so he stood away from her with a decent distance between them.

She raised a stick and he frowned internally.

"Stay back. I'm not afraid to hurt you." He tilted his head to the side, looking her over. She generally believed that she could cause damage to him with that thin piece of wood. If he was human, he would've laughed at her. He went to walk towards her, thinking that she couldn't recognise what wolf he was and _who _he was but the moment he moved, she stiffened. "Don't fucking tempt me." He didn't move again.

"Hermione, babe, come back!" Paul called and Jared slowly dragged his eyes away from her, looking for his friend. He wasn't too far away and he was still in human form, obviously so he could talk to her.

Sound to the right of him suggested that she'd started running again.

"_Quil, call for back-up," _Jared suggested once he'd started the chase to keep up again. "_There's something wrong. Keep a nose out for a leech. Something has her spooked."_

"_Will do," _Quil replied before he howled to the rest of the Pack.

* * *

The howl was loud and Sam sighed when he heard it. Why did Paul have to be right? Why did his gut have to agree?

"A leech?" Seth asked, as they made their way out of the house and out into the garden. "_Or something to do with Paul and Hermione? Maybe both," he carried on after they'd all changed._

"_Something to do with Hermione," _Quil answered, "_She's freaked out and running. Didn't stop for Paul and didn't stop for Jared either. From what I can tell, she even threatened him."_

"_Really?" _Leah asked sceptically, "_What damage is she going to do to a wolf his size?"_

"_That's why Jared's concerned. She's spooked and nothing is stopping her. If she thinks she can hold her own and even win against him, what's to say that she doesn't do something dangerous?"_

"_Jared, link us up," _Jacob ordered. He wasn't mucking around with questions and had already run ahead of the others, Leah close behind because she had to be the best.

Jared took control of the mind link immediately, showing them all what he was seeing through his eyes. They could all see where he was and how far ahead Hermione was. Before Jared could turn off his link, Hermione did it for him.

"_Jared? Jared?" _Sam practically shouted, his own wolf running to catch up with the younger two, forcing himself to push his limits. "_What the fuck just happened?"_

"_I think she said _Stupefy," Quil answered, "_There was a flash of red light from that stick of hers and he went down quick and easy. Maybe she can handle a wolf his size."_

"_But how come?" _Leah asked, shocked.

* * *

Fuck, he was gaining on her. He was _toying _with her. She had no doubt in her mind that a wolf of that size could take her down within seconds, and she was tiring which meant she was slowing down and getting weaker and an easier target.

She needed to get him off her back.

"_Stupefy," _she called, twisting her top half to aim the spell at him. Her aim was slightly off - understandable due to running away - but he was large enough that it caught his shoulder and he fell down immediately.

She didn't stop running though. She could already hear the other wolf in her pursuit.

* * *

Embry dropped beside Paul and changed, not even blushing about his naked state - they'd all seen each other like it.

"What happened?" he asked worriedly. Paul was near to having a panic attack but the man carried on, shouting for his imprint.

"I don't know. She woke up before me and I woke because she was making noise whilst searching for something. She had this stick and shone it at me. At first I thought she had a torch but she was actually getting light from the end of this stick." Paul paused. "She didn't recognise me, didn't know who I was then went outside and ran. I wasn't prepared for her to run and now I can't catch up."

"Why don't you change?"

"Because when i'm a wolf, how on Earth am I meant to talk to her and try to get her to remember?"

"Come on," Embry sighed. "We'll never talk about this, I promise." Embry changed into his wolf and ducked down, making it easier for Paul to clamber onto his back.

* * *

"_Quil isn't replying either now," Seth complained, a low growl emitting from his wolf. "__I don't know what she's doing but she's powerful."_

"_Fall back Seth," _Leah ordered, shoving herself into his path so had to slow down and veer off course. "_If she's hurting us, I don't want her hurting you. If she does that then I'd rip her throat out."_

"_Leah!" _Sam growled; Jacob's, Seth's and Embry's growls accompanying. "_You are in no position to make orders _and _you do that, then Paul would kill you."_

"_As if," _she scoffed.

"_Pack rules," _Jacob informed her. "_I was pretty convinced that everybody knew them. An attack on the imprint is an attack on the wolf. You hurt her, kill or maim, Paul has the right to kill you. I wouldn't stop him."_

"_But this is an attack on the Pack!"_

"_This is self defence!" _Embry said. "_Paul says she woke up and didn't recognise him. Then she freaked."_

"_So we're going to let her get away with this? She's killing them!"_

"_They're merely unconscious," _Embry added after a second. "_Knocked out cold but still breathing. She's not doing any damage at all. Leah, you're overruled."_

* * *

Hermione could still hear the wolves following her. When that wolf had howled only minutes ago, he'd called for his Pack. She was in trouble.

Her legs wobbled and finally gave out and she threw herself forward, putting as much distance between them and her. She was breathing heavily - extremely heavily - and she knew that she couldn't hold her own against a pack of wolves, especially ones that size. She'd have to apparate to safety.

The wolves appeared only seconds later and she raised her wand, aiming at the large black one in the middle. They all stopped though, all three of them. One appeared a few moments later, carrying the man that was in the tent on his back.

"Hermione, please, come here." She shook her head and shuffled back but they still didn't make any move to close the distance. The man was starting to look frustrated. "Hermione, please," he pleaded.

She took one look at him, held the wand in her hand and apparated away to somewhere she knew was safe.

* * *

"_What the fuck?" _Jacob asked, "_Where the hell did she go?"_

**I give no apology for how I've ended it. This chapter was 3,000 words. I had to cut it down because there is a _lot _more coming. Please, let me know what you thought of it. As we speak, i'm already beginning to write the next one so that should be up sooner rather than later!**


	24. Chapter 24

**The response to the last chapter was absolutely _phenomenal! _So many of you loved it and I'm awfully glad that so many of you recognised that she was suffering from PTSD. Obviously we hadn't seen it beforehand because there hadn't been any triggers.**

The sounds of breakfast being made in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place echoed around the lobby of the house and immediately Hermione froze. This place was meant to be safe! There wasn't meant to be anybody _here! _Yes, Yaxley had found out about it when he'd tagged along for the ride but that was months ago and with nobody going to it since, she'd assumed it had been abandoned and forgotten.

She stood up, hoping to catch her breath before she quickly escaped. She was woozy from the trip and she'd clearly apparated further than she'd thought.

"Hermione?" a voice called, coming from above and down the stairs. "I didn't know you were coming by today!" She looked up and gasped, grabbing him as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Harry, we have to get out of here," she whispered, dragging him nearer to the front door. "I don't know what happened but we got separated and I thought they'd hurt you." Her bottom lip trembled at the thought of him getting hurt or worse, killed.

"Hermione?" Harry laughed awkwardly. "What are you going on about? You've been in America for months."

"You knew where I was and didn't _save _me?" she shouted, her voice louder than she'd intended. She immediately let go of him, stumbling so her back was against the wall with her wand raised at him. "I suppose that's life though, isn't it? Why bother getting Hermione back, she's only a mudblood."

"Hermione, don't say that!" Harry exclaimed. "What are you going on about? You left us."

"I'd never leave you in a time like this!"

"What's going on?" a different voice interrupted, one that had come from the kitchen and she whirled, her wand facing this new addition. "Hermione, are you okay?"

"Remus?" she said with disbelief. "Shouldn't you be with Tonks? She's pregnant and you're here."

"She's given birth Hermione," he said slowly, walking forward. "Don't you remember Teddy?" She shook her head. "Tonks," he called over his shoulder. "I think you should get some of that potion we use for dreams."

"Why?" she shouted back.

"Hermione's popped by for a visit."

"A visit?" Hermione questioned. "This is hardly the time for a visit! I can't believe you're all acting as if this isn't dangerous. Yaxley knows about this place! He could come in here any second and we'll all be killed!"

"What's happening Remus?" Harry asked, shuffling closer to his old professor. "Something's wrong. She's acting like she's still in the war."

"That's because she thinks she is," Remus answered. Hermione, who was standing there listening to what they were saying, was starting to look very confused and angry. "Hermione, love, come sit down. We'll answer all the security questions you want but you look very tired."

"I-I-I… okay," she acquiesced. She followed both the men into the nearest room and sat down in a chair, her wand cradled in her hand and both eyes kept on them.

"Mine! Mine!" a young voice squealed causing Hermione to jump. A little boy with blue hair and chubby cheeks was being carried in Tonks' arms and was clearly trying to get out of them to go to her. Who was he?

"Teddy would you stop fidgeting?" Tonks asked frustratedly, rolling her eyes with a chuckle to her husband. "Hermione, how nice of you to pop by!" Hermione nodded in agreement, her forehead still crinkled in confusion. "Here, have a drink."

"No, security questions first dear," Remus cut in before Hermione could and she nodded her thanks. "Well, off you go."

"Harry, where was the dirt on Ron when I first met you?"

"His nose," he replied immediately, rolling his eyes at the memory. She smiled softly before turning to Remus.

"What colour dress was I wearing when I first met Sirius?"

"That's a trick question my lovely," he answered, smirking at her. "You were wearing a pink hoodie and trousers with a lovely cut on your cheek." She didn't even bother checking Tonks - something was clearly wrong with her and she sagged in her seat. "Hermione, drink," Remus urged and she grabbed the cup from Tonks, guzzling its contents. The running and journey over had made her thirsty.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, eyeing his best friend and wishing he could comfort her but he didn't know everything and it was bugging him. Only moments after Hermione finished drinking, he watched her face change through emotions faster than Dudley guzzled food. They ranged from shock, sadness, worry, confusion, anger and did she just cringe?

"I had another flashback," she moaned in Teddy's hair, his parents smiling when he giggled at the feel of it.

"Another?" Harry questioned, crossing his arms as he looked at everyone in the room. "What do you mean '_another'?" _

"The war doesn't leave people unscathed and they experience the aftermath differently," Remus explained. "I get restless and can't sleep, having the urge to check on all members of my Pack, my family, so I know that they're safe. Tonks gets quiet, typically sitting in one room whilst she deals with her emotions. Hermione gets-"

"Flashbacks and nightmares," she interrupted, looking at her best friend with tears in her eyes. "At first it was just the nightmares, they came to me every night and I'd scream myself hoarse but then I had a couple of moments where I was convinced the war was still going on."

"PTSD," Harry breathed, feeling sick at the thought of her going through that.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "They weren't that bad, i'd never hurt anyone because Remus had always been there to stop me until tonight."

"What happened?"

"We went camping. Paul wanted a weekend away from the guys and to spend some time with just me, no obligations or interruptions. We could've gone to a hotel but housekeeping would have still had to come and clean the room, popping our little bubble. Camping was the best option."

"Was that the trigger?" Tonks asked, soothingly running her hand through Hermione's curls, using magic to untangle every knot she comes across.

"I think so. It must be," Hermione answered. "I had a nightmare and when I woke I was in the tent and all I could think about was when Ron left us and how it was just me and Harry and then Paul put his arm around me and I freaked."

"But you came right here though?" Remus asked, removing his son from her arms so he could pull her into a hug.

"No," Harry said for her. "She wouldn't have. The day after Ron left, Hermione got her wireless out and we listened to Potterwatch - to check if he got back okay or if he got caught - when they spoke about the new tracking spell on apparition. We'd been discussing a counter spell for it."

Hermione nodded her agreement to what he'd said. "I ran and the wolves on patrol chased after me to check if I was okay and I knocked them out. If they had growled at me, I would've done more than just sent a Stupefy."

The whole room was silent except for Teddy's gurgles. "Well," Tonks said breaking the silence. "At least they know about your magic now."

* * *

Paul stood there, staring dumbly at the spot Hermione had just been in and growled with annoyance that he couldn't go across to see if it was all an illusion because of the treaty. He stared for a few more seconds before whirling away and shifting, running quickly through the woods so he could get to Charlie's place sooner.

"_What the fuck is going on?" _Leah asked, running a few feet behind him because he was too fast for her today. "_You never told us she could do a disappearing act."_

"_That's because I didn't know," _Paul growled, pushing his limbs to go faster. "_Why do you think i'm so shocked?"_

"_You're imprint is a freak," _she commented lightly and whined in pain when Paul turned on her, pinning her to the ground and growling in her face. She growled back but they all sensed the shock and fear in her mind.

"_If you hadn't noticed Leah, our Pack is entirely made up of men except for _you. _If anyone's a freak, it's you."_

"So nobody knows where you are?" Tonks asked, the older woman sitting on the bed that Hermione had laid down on to rest.

"Nope, I'm lucky I even made it here in one piece."

"I'll send Remus and Harry to go speak to your Uncle, Teddy's down for his nap so it's just you and me." Tonks turned to face the younger witch but any words she was going to say died on her lips when she saw her sleeping peacefully. "And then you'll be asleep so I'll be all by myself."

* * *

"Mr Swan," Harry called, stepping through the fireplace. "Are you home?"

"Be with you in a second," Charlie called back from the kitchen and the two wizards settled themselves on the sofa. He wandered in a minute later, sandwich and beer in hand. "Harry, nice to see you ," he said, turning to face Remus, "I haven't met."

"I'm Remus Lupin, Mr Swan," he introduced himself. "We're here regarding Hermione."

"Oh she's out camping with Paul. That girl is in denial about how she feels about it. It's awfully late for you to be popping around to see her."

"We were having breakfast when Hermione popped in," Harry remarked. "She was experiencing some post traumatic stress."

"I knew it," the muggle mumbled to himself. "Is she okay? Now, I mean? The distance didn't cause her harm?"

"She's asleep in her room. She made the journey in one piece but she was extremely exhausted. She was lucky that the adrenaline in her system spiked her magic for the trip otherwise she could've splinched herself." Charlie frowned at the word 'splinched' but didn't question it - he could tell that it would only add to the worries he held for her.

Before anybody could say anything else, someone knocked on the door loudly, each knock bordering a hammer. "Who in the hell could that be?" Charlie asked, staring at the clock and watching it tick another minute towards midnight.

"You said she was out camping with Paul," Harry said. "He's got to have noticed she's gone." Charlie nodded in agreement and went to open the door, stepping back quickly as said wolf burst into the house with Jacob following behind, apologising to Charlie for Paul's behaviour.

"She's gone!" Paul exclaimed. "She just disappeared in thin air. Poof. Gone!" He paced the hall, looking upstairs, straining his ears to hear her. "Is she here? Did she come here? How the fuck could she have done that?"

"Paul!" Jacob shouted, grabbing his friend by the shoulders. "Stop. Sit. Listen." The panicked wolf did as he was told and sat down, Jacob plopping down beside him. "Who are you two?"

"That's Harry and Remus," Charlie answered. "They're friends of Hermione's." Paul turned to them, eyes wide and full of panic. "She's safe, that's what matters."

"What matters is that I get to see her. Do you know where she is? Can you take me to her? I just want to know what happened," Paul pleaded.

Harry and Remus exchanged a look before both of them sighed. "She arrived at my place not long ago," Harry informed him. "I can take you to her but you'll need to keep an open mind and let her explain everything. I'm not answering any of your questions." Paul nodded eagerly. "Will you be coming too"? Harry asked Jacob who shook his head.

"As much as I want to see her, somebody needs to tell the others. Paul called us all when she disappeared you see." Harry sent the man a wink, letting him know that he knew he was lying but sure, he'd go with it. "You can call us to let us know how she is, right?" Harry nodded and stood up, motioning to the fireplace for Remus.

He looked around the room, taking a deep breath before taking some powder from a bowl on the mantle and moving into the fireplace. "Grimmauld Place," he shouted before throwing the powder and disappearing in green flames.

"What the fuck?" Paul practically screeched, scrambling from his seat and staring at the place where the man just stood. "He just burnt himself to death!"

"An open mind would be a blessing right now Paul," Harry hinted, taking a larger handful than Remus because he'd be travelling with Paul to help him get through the fidelius charm and all of the wards that were put in place. "Stand in the fireplace, hold my arm and _do not _let go, get me?" Paul nodded slowly, walking into the large fireplace. Harry followed soon after, held out his arm to be held and did the exact same as the other man.

Moments later and they reappeared in a completely different fireplace, room and house. "Welcome to England." And country.

"Hermione's here?" Paul asked, looking around at the odd items and pictures that were in the room. "Did that just move?" Harry nodded. "How?"

"We agreed I wouldn't answer." Paul nodded in understanding, biting his tongue to hold all his questions as he followed Harry through the maze of a house. "Hermione's in here. Don't wake her up, let her wake naturally. Also, don't push her for answers. She'll talk now that you've seen it but she needs to do this at her pace." Paul nodded and sighed with relief when he saw his girlfriend on the bed.

"Hermione," he breathed, his muscles relaxing as he knelt down on the floor beside her. He moved a curl off her face and behind her ear gently, smiling when she nuzzled into his hand in her sleep. "I love you, no matter what."

**I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter but as much as I tried, I couldn't get it out any better. If you hadn't noticed, the way I'm portraying Leah is exactly how I imagine she is. I don't like her at all. Question, what do we think about a Hermione/Garrett pairing? I'm creating a plan for one now!**


	25. Chapter 25

_**I've been neglecting writing practically anything and everything lately since writer's block is a bitch. Hence the short chapter today. **_

Quil and Jared woke up quickly after Hermione's disappearance, purely because Paul whined and growled at them until they had no choice. He needed to know what they saw. He needed to have some clues to go on.

"She had a stick," Jared commented, rubbing his forehead and looking around at them all with a dazed expression. "She said some weird word and then bam, this red light came out of it and then the next thing I know, you're waking me up." Paul shook his head and stormed away, kicking at leaves and twigs on the ground. "What am I missing?"

"She's gone," Jacob answered eventually. "She fell over onto Cullen's territory and before Paul could persuade her back, she vanished."

"Vanished?" Quil asked in disbelief, his look of astonishment paired with his dazed look making him look high. "Like, teleporting?"

"We have no clue. She made this almighty crack sound and she's not there anymore. None of us can even smell her scent coming back onto this land - we couldn't even smell it get further into _theirs." _Sam said. "As far as we can tell, she's not here anymore."

"Have you spoken to Charlie? If anyone knows what's up with her, it'll be her Uncle."

* * *

"Paul, man, calm down!" Jacob shouted, following his friend as fast as he could so he could be heard and not left behind. "If you go into that place, shouting and raging, then you're more than likely going to get shot!"

"What do you suppose I do, Jake?" Paul exclaimed. "My imprint is missing. His _niece _is missing and for all we know, he could have all the secrets we need to find her. What if she's in trouble? What if she's hurt and unable to vanish herself back over here?"

"Then we'll find her," Jacob reassured. "We just have to be calm."

"Calm?" Paul asked, slowing down as he thought it over.

"Yeah, calm. Calm as in, let's not go bursting into an armed man's house, raving about how his only niece just disappeared when on your watch."

* * *

"Sam, honey, what's going on?" Emily asked, standing on the porch of their house. She was wrapped in a dressing gown and looked extremely tired which meant that she hadn't slept despite telling her to.

"Hermione's gone," he told her gently once everyone had left. "She disappeared into thin air like magic."

"Is that possible?" she questioned.

"In theory, is any of this possible? In reality, it's the most likely story out there."

"She doesn't look like a witch."

"Do we even know what witches look like? Are they green skinned and hooked noses with warts? Are they even real?"

* * *

For the whole car journey to the Swan's house, Paul had been relatively calm. Of course, his knee jittered and he chewed his thumb nails but he was panicking majorly. Until he saw Hermione's bike in the driveway and registered that hey, she really did disappear into thin air and not on her vehicle.

* * *

"I need to tell Billy," Charlie commented with a sigh once Paul and Hermione's friends had left. Jacob was a bit disorientated with how they'd disappeared into a fireplace but he wasn't one to judge when he turned into a massive wolf.

"No need, I can do it for you," Jacob offered, smiling to hide his worry about his curly haired best friend. "I'm heading home anyway."

"Well, if you don't mind."

* * *

Billy was still awake when Jacob returned home, it should've surprised him but it didn't since he often stayed up when Pack matters kept him out. He'd never admit it but Jacob could tell he was worried.

"Hermione's missing," Jacob offered as a greeting without any of the tact he normally possessed when breaking bad news. Though he hadn't had to break much bad news before.

"What?" Billy gasped, wheeling his chair to face his son fully. When he saw how pale Billy's face had gone, Jacob winced.

"She's been located somewhere and Paul's gone with them to get her but they didn't say where she was so in theory she's missing." Billy didn't say anything and wheeled over to his only son, putting a comforting hand on his forearm.

"How's Paul taking it?"

"As well as anyone possibly could when their soul mate disappears before their eyes and then they have to go to her by going through a fireplace." Billy nods understandingly and Jacob frowns at the lack of shock on his face. "You knew?" Billy didn't answer but Jacob could see the guilty look flash over his face quickly. "I can't believe you fucking knew that she was different!"

"Now, don't shout at me! I promised that I wouldn't be the one to tell anyone. _I'm _not even meant to know!"

"What do you mean 'you're not meant to know'? What aren't you meant to know?"

"I only found out because I was there when she told everyone but you're not getting it out of me. It tore her up inside not being able to tell you but as kids, anything awesome or different wasn't going to last a secret. She'll tell you herself and you'll accept that."

Jacob stared at his Dad for a few moments before storming into his bedroom and slamming his door. He was supposed to call everyone and let them know what was going on but fuck them. He was too pissed off to say anything politely.

* * *

Hermione woke up slowly, her body stretching beneath a thin blanket that had been placed over her during the night. She wasn't in a tent and she didn't feel a warm body next to her which meant last night _hadn't _been a dream and she really had freaked out. Great.

A warm hand stroked the curls off her face and her eyes blinked open in surprise, quickly adjusting to the darkness in the room and focusing in on Paul's face. She sat abruptly, the blanket falling around her hips and she only felt slightly comforted at his soft smile.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," she replied tentatively and he smiled, chuckling at her discomfort.

"Is there something you want to tell me, sweet one?" She gulped and he moved from his chair so he was sat next to her. He took one of her hands into his and stroked his thumb across the back of her hand in a soothing gesture. "Your friend Harry tells me that you were worried about how I'd react. I seem to think that you forget I turn into a wolf."

"What else did Harry tell you?"

"Only that you were his best friend and if I did anything to hurt you then he'd come and castrate me. As if I could." Paul rolled his eyes. "He also mentioned that you were very lucky not to kill or seriously maim yourself by travelling as far as you did."

"He just worries."

"As he should," Paul defended, glaring at his girlfriend. "I don't know why you did what you did and I don't know how you did it but if it put you in danger, then you shouldn't have done it."

"Well I didn't know I was that far away at the time," Hermione informed him, kicking her legs free from the blankets so she could sit beside him properly. She looked at their joined hands. "I have PTSD."

"PTSD? What, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?" She nodded. "How? You're eighteen!"

"War doesn't care about how old you are."

"War? Hermione, I think you need to start from the beginning."

_**Yes I'm stopping here, I generally want/need to know if you want me to write where she tells him about her past or to just skip over that. Please, let me know! Alsooooo, we're nearly at 300 reviews! WOOO!**_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Not an overly long chapter but the finish sets things up perfectly. I also love how this chapter came out.**_

"So," Harry said slowly, drawing out the vowel as he sat down at lunch with Paul and Hermione. "Does he know?" Hermione nodded. "Everything?"

"Everything," she confirmed.

"How'd you take it?" Harry asked, turning to the wolf. Paul and Hermione exchanged looks.

"I took it pretty well," Paul admitted.

* * *

"_What the fuck do you mean you almost got killed by a troll when you were twelve?" _ _Paul shouted. "Do you even know how fucking dangerous that is? Because I don't. I don't even know how big these guys are and here you are, telling me that it almost smooshed your brains into the floor. How are you so calm about it?"_

* * *

"Are you sure?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"Sure am," Paul answered.

* * *

"_So let me get this right," Paul sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Even after your horrific first year at this crazy magical castle, where you encountered a mountain troll, a three headed dog-"_

"_A cerberus," Hermione interjected. _

"_A cerberus, right, as well as having to go through larger than life size manic chess and plants that try to kill you, you went back." Hermione nodded. "And during this year, you encountered a massive fucking snake that kills people with a glance but instead of looking at it directly, you were smart and looked in a mirror so that you were in a comatose state-"_

"_It's a basilisk and I wasn't in a coma. I was petrified."_

"_Does this make anything fucking better?" Paul gasped, tugging on his hair in frustration. "This school could've killed you. You had moving staircases for fuck's sake! You could've tripped and fell to your death!"_

* * *

"That surprises me," Harry confessed, sipping on his coffee. "Hermione told me that Bella and Charlie took things really bad when she came back every summer and admitted what had happened."

"Really?" Paul said, eyebrows raised. "Well, I guess I'm just calmer than them."

* * *

"_For a smart girl, you can be incredibly stupid," Paul said through gritted teeth. "Not only did you try to kill yourself with taking more lessons than normal, you went after a convicted criminal who happened to be innocent which you didn't know at the time as well as __encountering a werewolf."_

"_I punched Draco in the face," Hermione added, trying to make the situation better._

"_The bully?" Hermione nodded. "Good on you."_

* * *

"Now that I can believe," Harry agreed, pointing at Paul as if he'd made a great point. "You're a man who turns into a wolf when he gets overly angry, so I can imagine emotion training being a priority."

"Indeed," Paul lied. Emotion training - what a fucking brilliant idea! That would've made him transition less when he was younger and definitely ruin less jeans.

* * *

"_So, my translation of this year was that it was less dangerous than the others buuuuuuut, you were involved in a wizarding terrorist attack before you even started school, was taught by one of said terrorists, was frozen in a lake for a foreign sportsman to save you and had your first kiss?" _

"_Sounds about right, unless you include the madman being released into the world as part of my school year when in theory, that affected Harry more than me."_

"_I'm not even going to fucking ask."_

"_You're kind of going to need to. He has, kind of an important role."_

* * *

"Oh, hats off to you by the way Harry," Paul praised. "For, you know, the whole prophecy thing." Harry snorted and raised his cup as in a toast.

"Did it purely to be selfish," Harry confessed. "I didn't want to die."

"You had to anyway," Hermione commented, glaring at the man she considered her brother, still sour that he left without her.

* * *

"_Wait, wait, wait," Paul called, holding his hands up to stop her from talking anymore. "The little bookworm that is my lovely girlfriend, started a club that was prohibited almost from the get go? You're fucking amazing!" he exclaimed. "At least that was the craziest thing you did that year."_

"_This is why you should let me finish," Hermione said. "You stopped me from telling you about how Harry, a few friends and I broke into the Ministry so that we could try and save Harry's Godfather but then encountered a bunch of Death Eaters and duelled them."_

_Paul stared at her and she felt her face flame up at the intense look he was giving her. "Look, I know you're freaky smart and from what you've told me, you were really talented too but how on earth does a sixteen year old fight adult terrorists, and come out unscathed?"_

"_We don't," Hermione whispered, lifting her top up and waving her wand over her stomach, cancelling the glamour on just that one spot. She revealed the large scar that travelled from one side of her hip, diagonally across to below her breast and around her ribs._

"_Fuck," he growled before turning into a massive wolf before her. _

* * *

"Do you know what my favourite year was?" Paul asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "Sixth Year. My condolences to the death of your headmaster but that year seemed to be the least dangerous for Hermione."

Harry thought it over and nodded. "Yeah, that was actually."

* * *

"_Do I ever get to meet this dickhead that was like a fucking octopus?" Paul asked curiously, twirling a curl around his finger as he laid down next to her on the bed. _

"_Pffft, yeah right," she replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes._

* * *

"Tell us though Hermione," Harry said, bringing attention to her. "What was your favourite year?"

"It's hard to choose one when they all possess such shit qualities."

"True," Harry shrugged.

* * *

"_And then the big battle happened and we lost people and we didn't lost others. That's life and war."_

"_So, the most dangerous thing that happened to you that year was breaking into the Ministry, riding a dragon out of a bank and the battle at school?"_

"_Yes," Hermione lied, scratching her left forearm absentmindedly. _

"_It was still too much action that you should've experienced," Paul said darkly, glaring at nothing through the mess of her hair which he'd burrowed himself into. "Still too much."_

* * *

"I just can't believe how calm you are about the whole fucking thing," Harry breathed, eyeing the couple with wide eyes. "If I'd found out that my girlfriend had been tortured and carved into like a block of wood, I'd be locking her in a room until I knew for sure that she was safe." Harry's eyes widened when he saw Hermione pale and shake her head at him, but the sight of Paul, his skin turning red with restrained anger and the way his whole body was shaking was just mesmerising. And terrifying, definitely terrifying.

Hermione quickly moved away from her boyfriend and dragged Harry away from the table which probably saved him from having to go to St. Mungo's since the moment he moved, the table and chair that he was sitting on were crushed.

"Fuck sake Harry, can't you read facial expressions?" Hermione cursed, glaring at her best friend. "Honestly, a girl shakes her head subtly and glares at you and you'd think that would be enough to shut someone up but nooooo."

"What? I thought you'd told him everything!" Harry defended. "Torture is kind of in the category as everything. You should've told me beforehand that you'd left shit out."

"Oh really? Then you would've just pestered me until I'd told him and we'd be in the same situation anyway."

"So I did you a favour," Harry replied, puffing his chest out. "I helped you."

"No you fucking didn't!" Hermione shouted. The wolf growled and Hermione immediately stepped back away from him and closer to Paul who nudged her with his muzzle and earned himself a scratch behind the ear. He looked relieved and comforted that she was close and unharmed - which he'd deemed correct after a few sniffs.

If this was how Paul had reacted to the little bit of missed out information, then Harry doesn't think Paul acted calmly for all the other parts.

* * *

"Are you still mad at me?" Hermione asked quietly, standing in the doorway tentatively where Paul seemed to be still brooding. He shot her a weak glare and she sighed. "It's just, we're going out for dinner and I thought you'd like to come."

"Fine," he muttered. "But you are going to do a proper apology when we get back," he told her, walking so that he was standing in front of her. She smirked up at him and he shook his head, fighting off his own smile. "I didn't mean an apology of _that kind." _

"What other apologies do we have?" she asked innocently, blinking for exaggeration.

* * *

"How is it standing?" Paul breathed, eyes wide with shock. "It's just so out of proportion."

"That's what we ask ourselves every time we see it," Harry admitted and Hermione grinned.

"What even is this place?

"Welcome to The Burrow."

_**Right. I've got a twitter all set up now for fanfiction - some people have tumblr but I can't get along with it - so if you have questions, want to demand chapters/stories/pairings and so on, then i'm over there. You don't have to do anything but it'll be there if people need it to be. Don't be shy. (My username is wannabewyler)**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**I actually have a reasonable explanation for my absence and delay. Believe me. Also, I'm not happy with this.**_

"_How is it standing?" Paul breathed, eyes wide with shock. "It's just so out of proportion."_

"_That's what we ask ourselves every time we see it," Harry admitted and Hermione grinned. _

"_What even is this place?"_

"_Welcome to The Burrow."_

"The Burrow? That doesn't exactly answer my question," Paul muttered as they began the trek down the path to the crazy looking house that seemed to bring such a beautiful smile to Hermione's face.

"You didn't tell him?" Harry asked, leaning forward to look around Paul to Hermione. She shook her head, grinning. "You gave him no preparation?" She laughed and Harry patted Paul on the shoulder. "You are in for a _treat!" _Harry exclaimed.

As they grew closer to the house, Paul's hearing allowed him to hear the large number of people on the upper floors who seemed to be discussing some weird thing called _quidditch? _And there were only five people on the lower floor: one in the kitchen and four in another room. Out of that four, one was asleep and the other three were conversing about werewolf rights and laws. Paul felt his heart speed up. Werewolf rights? Were they talking about him?

"Hey," Hermione said softly. "There are some things that are going to come to light today, okay? Things that wouldn't be right coming from me. But I'll be here and you shouldn't panic."

"It's not going to kill me, is it?" he asked, causing her to laugh.

"Absolutely not," she reassured him. "Oh, also, don't accept anything from the Twins." He blinked at her serious face and spared a glance at Harry who nodded solemnly. "Just, trust me on that."

He didn't question her on anything else, instead choosing to follow her closely as they drew nearer to the unusual house. They didn't enter via the front door, which hinted to the familiarity that the duo held for the house and its inhabitants and he nodded to himself when they reached the kitchen door. He could hear a woman speaking to herself about food and someone called 'Ronald' which he could only assume was Hermione's friend, Ron.

"Just, let her do whatever she does," Hermione told him without elaborating and he silently followed her into the large kitchen.

"Hey Mrs Weasley," Harry greeted and the woman in question waved a hand over her shoulder without turning around.

"Hello Harry dear," she replied. "Ron and the others are upstairs whilst Remus is in the living room with Arthur, Teddy and Tonks. I have to get this pie perfect otherwise Remus will be deprived of his daily chocolate dose."

Harry snorted. "If you think that will be the first bit of chocolate Remus has had today then you're largely mistaken Mrs Weasley. I know for a fact that he had chocolate spread on toast today," he told her conspiringly causing her to chuckle. She knew the werewolf had had chocolate but it just gave her more reason to cook food and make more of her family happy. "I'm going upstairs to see Ron and Ginny and the others," he told her, winking at Hermione behind her back and quickly popped out of the living room. He could be heard running up the stairs seconds later.

"Now, should I do the potatoes or the vegetables first?" Molly asked herself.

"Well, maybe I can help," Hermione offered and both Paul and the young witch watched the elder woman freeze before turning around suddenly. She squealed loudly in delight, causing Paul to wince due to his sensitive hearing.

He watched his girlfriend get pulled into a crushing hug that made him smile and the woman he knew to be Mrs Weasley was babbling about "how happy I am to see you," and crying - practically sobbing - into Hermione's shoulder.

"Molly? Why are you making so much noise? Is everything okay?" a manly voice called, and Paul heard someone start walking towards the kitchen door only moments before it swung open and revealed a balding ginger man. "Oh Merlin! Hermione?" he asked rather loudly. Molly pulled back and wiped her cheeks, allowing the man to pull Hermione into a hug.

"Hello Arthur," she greeted, wrapping her own arms around him. This must be Ron's dad, Paul mused. His attention was brought somewhere else when a stampede of feet came down the stairs.

"Dad? Bill said he heard you say Hermione's name," a female voice spoke loudly, before she burst into the room with a whole group of redheads behind her. "Oh Godric. Hermione!" Paul grinned happily as his girlfriend was passed from person to person, held tightly in hugs and kissed on cheeks or foreheads. It wasn't until she'd been passed to a tall redhead with scars on his face that Paul got a sniff of his scent and stiffened.

"Hermione, love," Paul called. "Please come here." The attention shifted from the curly haired witch to the large stranger standing in the corner. The room fell silent shortly afterwards. "Hermione," he pleaded. "Please." The amount of effort that went into restraining himself so he didn't charge over and rip her away from the new and unusual threat was muscle-aching.

"Go," a man urged. The man who Paul recognised as Remus. Taking another sniff as Hermione got closer, Paul got a stronger and more overwhelming smell of him and he had to fight off the urge to shift. His large wolf in a kitchen, even one of this size, would cause damage. Hermione, being the closest to him would experience the brunt of it and he'd probably kill himself with the pain of knowing what he'd done to her.

"Babe," she murmured. "It's okay. Everyone's a friend here." Paul didn't look at her, his eyes looking at Remus and back to the redhead and it flickered between the two. They were both threats. He had to protect his imprint. "Woah," she gasped as he shoved her behind him. "What's gotten into you?"

"He iz acting like a protective wolf, non?" a french voice drawled and Paul's eyes narrowed in on her. She was a beautiful blonde and was being protected and sheltered by the redheaded man. He felt no inclination to keep looking at her and turned back to the threats.

"Did he just shrug off Fleur's looks?" someone whispered but he didn't take in their words.

"Paul," Harry called. "Step outside and check she's okay. Cool off and then we can send them two out and have everything explained." Paul backed away and out of the building - mainly due to Hermione's tugging hands - and sighed with relief when they were out.

"Come here," Hermione commented and it wasn't even a second later that she was pulled into his arms as he sniffed her and ran his hands over her body. "I'm good. You good?" He nodded shakily and she peppered kisses along his neck. "Is this because of the wolf seeing threats or because you felt threatened with all those handsome men?" He growled at her, tightening his arms around her middle and not giving her a definitive answer. But they both knew it was the wolf. "You're more of a danger to them than they are to anything right now."

"'Mione, why do your words hurt so?" Remus asked, standing on the back porch and looking over at the couple. They separated and Remus smiled at the protective male. "Paul, obviously you've met me. This is Bill," he introduced, motioning to the scarred man beside him. "Werewolf and half werewolf."

"Paul, werewolf," he introduced and Remus shook his head.

"Fortunately for you, you are a shapeshifter. Different to a werewolf." Paul didn't argue and instead let Remus talk about werewolves and shapeshifters; he mentioned their differences and similarities but mainly their differences. All whilst Hermione stood by his side with a supporting hand on his arm. "And so, that's how I know," Remus finished.

"So, you're an… actual _werewolf?" _Paul asked, shocked at the revelations. Remus nodded. "And you were attacked but not actually bitten by the wolf?" he asked Bill who nodded, looking more at ease now that he wasn't going to be attacked. "And I'm a shapeshifter which is why our scents are different and I saw you as a threat," Paul surmised more to himself than anyone.

"It will take you a while to get comfortable with the thought of Hermione near us without you in between but you'll get to that stage eventually," Remus promised. "It'll be harder once you've had kids."

"Speaking of kids…" Hermione suggested and Paul felt himself pale at the thought though he couldn't argue with the short burst of excitement and the thought of a Mini-Hermione. "When do I get to see Teddy?"

"You saw him yesterday," Remus teased. "That's all of the little kid you're gonna see." Before either could carry on arguing, the kitchen door opened and a pink haired lady walked out, carrying a blue haired little kid.

"Are we done? Ron's complaining that he's hungry."

* * *

"So, Paul," Molly said, bringing attention to the shapeshifter that had been sitting silently and peacefully whilst stuffing his face. "What do you do for a living?" He grimaced, his mouth full of chicken which prevented him from answering, and only swallowed when his witch placed a comforting hand on his knee.

"Erm, I actually don't have a job," he informed her, wincing as he expected everyone to look at him in disapproval. That's what he's always had to deal with. "With the Pack and patrols, I can't keep a steady job," he defended.

"Oh don't worry about that dear," Molly said, brushing off his concerns. "Remus here, a lovely chap, turns into a wolf less than you do but he still has trouble getting employed."

"Thanks for the reminder," Remus muttered bitterly, glaring at the bowl of mashed potatoes that he was feeding Teddy.

"What I mean to say is that we don't judge you for that at all. I was just curious. If Hermione is happy, then that's all that matters to me." Hermione removed her hand from his knee and rested it instead on his hand which was on the table, shooting him a happy smile.

"I'm so very happy," she commented, leaning over to kiss him sweetly on the lips. He kissed her just as sweetly - aware that these people were her family - and was quite thankful that he'd finished his mouthful of food.

"I love you," he murmured when they separated. Her smile widened into a grin and he heard the collective 'aw' from the females around the table. He blushed lightly and returned to his food.

"You're saying the love word, eh?" Fred - or was it George? - asked, winking at him. "She must have used a love potion. See, we caught the little bookworm eyeing them up a few years ago," he informed him. Paul smirked at his girlfriend's uncomfortable face and fought off a laugh.

"Now, I can't imagine why that is. A beautiful girl like her was surely fighting the men off at school."

"Shut up," she grumbled. "And, you two," she warned, pointing her fork at the twins. "I'll have you know that I was merely browsing your store, not looking to buy and if i really wanted to use a bloody love potion then I could've bloody well brewed one myself."

"Got your hands full with this one," the twin with one ear said.

"I love it when she curses in British," he confessed, smirking at her flustered look.

"Fred is right though," Arthur spoke. "Love is a word that isn't commonly used in relationships of your length. Not even Molly and myself had spoken those words until we had been in a relationship for two years."

"I understand but she's the only one for me," Paul promised. "The only one."

* * *

"Well, I better begin dealing with the dishes," Molly said, sighing as she looked at the long table and all of the empty plates and bowls. Ron, even on a good day, hadn't been able to finish everything but the addition of Paul had saved her wasting any food. "Paul, honey, why don't you give me a hand?"

"Of course Mrs Weasley," he agreed, beginning to stack the nearest plates to him. The Weasley family left the room almost immediately with the confirmation that they wouldn't be tricked into helping and the Lupin trio were seconds behind. "You two go ahead." Paul nudged Hermione with his hip as he passed her, noticing that she still remained in the room with Harry. "I won't be long."

He didn't notice the look Hermione was exchanging with Harry or the confused glances they were both giving Molly but they did leave the two alone soon after his words.

"Now, Mr Lahote," Molly said slowly, turning around with her arms crossed and wearing a look that only a protective parent could muster. "Let's talk about you and Hermione."

* * *

"Harry, I can't hear anything!" Hermione hissed, her ear pressed against the wood that served as a door between the kitchen and living room. Everyone was sat in their seats or on the floor comfortably and watching the duo with looks of amusement. "What is she saying?"

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to know?" Harry growled back at her, his voice just as low and quiet as hers.

"Well, you're the chosen one! Can't you, I don't know, walk through walls and have x-ray vision?"

"Hardy har," he snarked, offering her a laughing face that was as fake as Sirius' portrait's claims of dying a virgin. "You're the bookworm, aren't you supposed to have read spells that help you spy on overbearing parents?"

* * *

"If you break her heart and ditch her for another woman then we are going to have huge problems. I will hunt you down like the wolf you sometimes are and you will become the new rug in my living room."

Molly Weasley, Paul decided, was one of the scariest women alive. If he'd encountered her the first time he'd started getting an interest in breasts and women, he'd probably have been a bit more careful with the whole sleeping around.

"You misunderstand me Mrs Weasley. She's the _only _one I can have. I'm not made to love anyone else. She's it for me."

"They all say that," she countered, batting a hand to wave his excuse away.

"No, I mean it. I've imprinted on her which means that my whole world revolves around that witch in there. I couldn't date another person even if I wanted to - which I don't."

"So, she really is _it _for you?"

"Till the day I die," he confirmed and she covered her mouth as she welled up.

* * *

The door opened and both Harry and Hermione - who were still arguing - fell forwards, hitting Paul's chest and causing him to stumble backwards. "Oh," Hermione breathed, standing up and brushing herself off. "Everything okay?"

"Hermione, I think I've fucked up," he whispered urgently causing her to frown in worry.

"What on Earth do you mean?" she asked but was interrupted as Molly barged her way into the room, arms spread as if to embrace everyone in a hug.

"I'm planning Hermione's wedding!" she announced excitedly.

_**My life went 0 to 100 real quick. First the delay was due to measly writer's block. Then I fell ill and was bed bound and energy sapped and just as I got over that, my pet died. I'm a very animal emotional person and I blubbered all day. Even now things aren't okay because my room is so empty without her, aha. **_

_**I've also begun writing the next chapter as we speak because I'm now in a writing funk. **_


	28. Chapter 28

**This is probably the most anti-climatic continuation that people were probably expecting from following the last chapter. Sorry not sorry. Also, thanks for the ongoing support and kind words you've given me!**

Hermione paled dramatically at Molly's exclamation and if it wasn't for Paul right behind her, she probably would've fainted. "She's what?" she asked, barely louder than a mouse squeak. "What the hell did she just say?" she said in the same tone. "Paul! What the fuck have you just done?" she hissed, whirling on her boyfriend.

"Hey now, I did not just propose to you via your adopted mother. That would be incredibly wrong for me to do. I haven't even got you a ring yet!" She huffed at him and he merely shrugged. "I just told her that you were the one I'd love till the day I died."

"Although that's incredibly romantic and I love you, you've literally just gone and hinted that you'd be proposing to me at some point in the future. Therefore she's taken to making that point in future happening sooner rather than later." She turned her back on him and shared a look with Harry who looked as pale as she felt.

"Oh Hermione, it's going to be beautiful!" Molly sighed, hands clasped in front of her. "You two can have it right here, in Autumn and the leaves will be falling and it will be so…"

"Beautiful?" Ron offered, his whole face looking as if he was fighting off laughter. Hermione glared at him and held up her middle finger in his direction when Molly wasn't looking.

"Molly, Mum," Hermione said, chuckling awkwardly when everyone looked at her. Everyone's faces were a mixture of happiness and amusement with amusement being the most popular emotion. "We're not engaged, so there isn't need for a wedding to be planned just yet," she told the elder woman.

"Well I know that dear but you are the only one he's ever going to have. You'll need one eventually."

"Of course we would if we choose to get married but this is something that we haven't really discussed so I don't know if you should be planning one until we're sure about it."

"But you're family…" Molly stated confusedly.

"Yes, I am, but we've only been together a few months and I'm asking you to just wait until we're ready for this conversation. You know I'd ask nobody else to plan it but that time isn't now." Molly nodded sadly and moved to sit next to Arthur who patted her hand consolingly.

"Miss Granger," Fred said in shock as he walked to her side. "How on Merlin's Earth-"

"Did you manage-"

"To get her-"

"To back off?" George finished. "Nobody's ever managed that!"

"Magic," she told them with a smirk.

* * *

"Look at them," Tonks whispered in Remus' ear. The couple were snuggled in one armchair with Tonks practically sitting on his lap as she had insisted on squeezing into the small space remaining. Teddy had long since given up on just sitting still with them and had ventured around the room as everyone discussed different things either as a whole group or as smaller ones.

"What about them?" Remus asked, eyeing the couple sitting in a conjured armchair and were sitting in it together like them. Paul was perched in the seat and Hermione had cuddled herself to his chest, her legs hanging over the arm whilst Paul's left arm curled around her back and played with her curls whilst Hermione ran her fingers over his tattoo that peeked out of his shirt sleeve. His pack symbol.

"They're both so happy and comfortable with each other. Just, so perfect," Tonks mused, smiling with satisfaction as she watched Paul whisper something in her ear and then press a kiss to her forehead whilst Hermione smiled. "It isn't often that someone finds their perfect match at such a young age."

The couple watched their little boy totter over to them and begin to climb - or try to climb - up Paul's legs. Hermione giggled at the sight and hefted him up into her arms so he sat on her lap and was able to look and talk to both of them. It was almost immediately that Teddy's fascination with Paul began to show when he changed his hair to black and he changed his skin tone to match. He resembled a baby Paul.

Hermione smiled and said something to Teddy - that Tonks couldn't understand - and tugged lightly on his hair which changed immediately to match her curls only shorter. The difference was that the curls still remained black to match Paul's hair colour.

"Do you think that-?"

"Yeah, I do," Tonks answered Remus' unfinished question but she knew what he was asking. As did everyone else who was looking at them but talking so as to not be caught out. Teddy had just created their child's appearance.

* * *

"He looks like you," Hermione commented quietly, smiling at the little boy as her head rested on Paul's chest. "Even down to the hair." She tugged lightly on Teddy's hair and he giggled, scrunching up his face as they changed into black curls.

"I think he has your hair," Paul murmured.

"But he has your skin tone."

"Your eyes."

"Your hair colour."

"Your nose."

"He's how I imagine our kids looking," Paul commented, eyes on Hermione's face at his statement. Hermione stilled and looked up at him, eyes wide at the prospect. "Though I have to admit, I always imagine a little girl."

She smiled weakly and helped Teddy off her lap as he got bored of them and moved on to Harry and jabbered on about a whole load of nonsense. "He's a sweet kid," Paul said, his fingers back to playing with Hermione's curls.

"Yeah, he's the best," she replied, snuggling into his chest even more. Her stomach twinged and she felt extremely uncomfortable. "Excuse me," she mumbled before rushing from the room. He sat up and watched her leave, being reduced to having to listen to her enter a room and begin to retch multiple times. He exchanged winces with Remus and Bill - both of whom were able to hear her - and stood to go after her.

"Is she okay?" Ginny asked, her face showing her worry.

"She's… sick," he offered after a moment of deliberating what to respond with. "Probably something she ate when we were camping."

"Could be the trip over," Harry offered with a tilted head and a thoughtful face. "She did apparate straight from you us. If she was lucid in her actions, she could've lost an arm. She's most likely just experiencing the backlash of it."

"Yeah, probably."

* * *

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Harry whined. "You've only just come back."

"And I left my family and friends over there in a very abrupt manner which has most likely led to many of them being worried about my wellbeing. I know for a fact that Jacob is going to be pissed until he knows everything."

"But you'll keep in contact, yeah?"

"Harry, we'll be back in two weeks for this big shindig that the twins have planned."

"Will you be staying for all of it?"

"Of course we will," Paul interjected as he could see Hermione starting to protest. Since he'd known her he could tell that partying and huge gatherings weren't her thing which was mainly due to the war but could've been due to a dislike of them before hand. He wasn't going to let her say no when he wanted to go on a wizarding binge drinking and seeing sports that he'd never heard of before. "She's just as excited as I am, can't you tell?" Hermione's blank face and glare was the exact opposite of what anyone would peg as excitement and it made Harry chuckle.

"I love you," Harry said with a sigh, pulling her into a hug which she returned tightly. "Keep up the letters, though we'll understand if you go lax on them now, and don't be a stranger."

"I love you too, Harry."

* * *

The moment they arrived back in Forks, Hermione was rushing to the toilet so she could bring up her last meal.

"Are you okay?" Paul asked, holding her hair out of her face so that she didn't get anything stuck in it. "You were like this at The Burrow as well."

"It must still be the effects of long distance apparition. It was a long journey and took a lot out of me. I'll be fine in a few days."

"If you aren't then I want you to go see one of your magical doctors."

"I promise," Hermione replied, washing her mouth out with mouthwash before exiting the room. "Uncle Charlie is already at work so if I call him and let him know that we're back then we can go to bed and get some rest before encountering the rest of the Pack."

"That sounds like a good plan but I think there is a stop we have to make first."

"Jacob?" Hermione asked.

"Jacob," Paul confirmed.

* * *

Pulling up to Jacob's house, they hadn't anticipated that the whole Pack would be there waiting for news on Hermione. As soon as their car pulled to a stop and the engine was cut off, they were all standing around, waiting and prepared. Leah was sulking at the back of the Pack, clearly uninterested in the following conversation.

"Hermione, sweetie, you've been causing trouble again," Billy greeted and she laughed. "Jake, you've got a -" He was cut off by his son rushing by in a blur and embracing the girl. "Visitor," he finished, shaking his head in amusement.

"You, Hermione Granger, have driven me fucking crazy!" Jacob exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her. "I expect answers and I expect them now!"

"Hey!" Paul protested, glaring at the wolf. "Back off."

"No, Paul, it's okay. He's one of my oldest friends, I should've told him before now." Jacob smiled smugly at her boyfriend and she rolled her eyes at his actions. "But I'm not telling everyone as a group. Jacob deserves to know first." The Pack nodded, each expression demanding to be told as soon as possible.

"Well, we can head down to the beach if you like," Jacob offered, thinking of a place private enough for the conversation.

"Sure, sounds great," she agreed and wrapped her arms around his waist, turning on the spot and apparating away. The Pack gaped at the space where Jacob and Hermione had just been before turning to Paul who was smiling at Billy.

"She's amazing, isn't she?"

* * *

As soon as Jacob and Hermione arrived at the secluded spot on the beach that the Pack had deemed their safe haven, he fell to his knees and started retching. Hermione only just managed to keep her food down but she gagged slightly but shook the feeling away so she could focus on her friend.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Apparition," Hermione answered, helping him to his feet. "It's one of our ways of transport," she added at his confused look.

"I've never travelled like that before."

"Well, that would be because you aren't a witch or a wizard." He stared at her and she sighed. "Get comfortable, I've got a lot of explaining to do."

**I've got to be honest, my inspiration for anything and everything has been severely lacking lately and I'm sorry. Good news is that I have the whole day for writing so I'm cracking on with this and the remainder of my September Event. (I'm hoping I can get you guys another chapter tomorrow or the day after)**

**P.S. Please review because otherwise I don't know what you've enjoyed or disliked. How am I meant to improve with no feedback?**


	29. End of Part 1

**I tried but I lied. For that, I am sorry. Therefore, I have made this the longest chapter I've ever written for this story. **

"I'll fight you for it," Paul protested regardless of any agreement that had already been put in place and Jared scoffed at his friend. "What? I can beat you!"

"Hermione's going to be late," Jared sung, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction. "That means I get her food."

"Why do you get her food?" Paul questioned, leaning back on the settee and tilting his head backwards so that he was looking at his friend upside down. "She's my imprint, surely I get first grabs."

"She's compensating for stunning me. She can promise you sexual favours but for me, she promised food." Jared looked oddly satisfied with that option and none of the Pack could blame him. Food was food. It was always a tough choice between that and sex. Unless you could have both at the same time.

"It's a good thing you won't have to," Hermione interrupted, rushing into Emily's and Sam's house as if she lived there. "Sorry I'm late," she apologised as she greeted Emily, pecking her on the cheek and dumping a bag of groceries on the counter.

"Hey honey," Paul greeted, still keeping his head in the upside down position and admiring her ass. "How are you feeling today?" He could sense Hermione's eye roll instead of witnessing it.

"I keep telling you that I'm fine," she complained, wandering over to him and kissing him softly on the lips. "You're just a worry-bot." Her face scrunched up and he sighed as she rushed from the room to the bathroom, emptying her stomach again.

"That's been going on for at least three days now," Kim commented as she sat next to him on the settee. "Got something to share with the class?" He looked at her with a confused face.

"She's ill. Harry said that it was the strain on her magic taking it out on her body or something. Distance like that shouldn't be travelled the way she travelled it." Kim's exasperated expression were accompanied with a roll of the eyes but she didn't push the matter, and instead chose to help Emily with the food.

* * *

Hermione moaned, her back arching as Paul moved, thrusting slowly as he extended their love-making. Because that was what it was. Pure, heartfelt love-making.

He glanced down at her body, admiring each and every part of her flawless skin before grimacing as his stomach twisted. Her skin _wasn't _flawless in reality, she hid it from him on a daily basis because she was worried at how he'd react.

"Remove the glamours," he asked, his voice husky. Hermione opened her eyes, blinking blearily and trying to gain her bearings. She glanced up at him, taking note of the strain in his jaw and his neck as he fought off the urge to carry on moving. "Please, I need to see you." He bent down and sucked on her pulse point as he thrust deeply into her once, causing her eyelids to flutter and all her arguments to be washed away.

"_Finite," _she whispered and he watched as the scar on her stomach was revealed to him. It was hideous but on her, it was perfection. This was what Hermione looked like.

He twined their fingers together and held both of her arms above her head as he continued to thrust into her. Her back arched as a soft moan left her lips and his attention was drawn to her face, taking note of the flush that crept along her cheeks.

Something out of the corner of his eye caused him to falter in his movements and he felt himself come over with intense rage that would've caused an immediate change into his wolf if it wasn't for Hermione being right under him.

"What is that?" he asked, begging in his mind for it to be some sort of joke albeit a humourless one. "Hermione, what is that?"

She followed where his eyes were directed and cringed into the mattress beneath her, begging to Merlin, God and any other deity willing to help, for her to be whisked away and out of this conversation. "It's a scar," she answered.

"I can see that," he replied through gritted teeth. "But it is a word. Surely spells don't carve words into arms."

"No, they don't. People do." His breath caught and he gave up moving, releasing her hands and kneeling between her thighs. "Cruel, monstrous people who believe themselves to be better than anyone and everyone."

"Hermione, why did you never tell me about this?"

"Because I didn't want that look of sympathy on your face!" She shoved him away from her, grabbing for her clothes that were scattered on the floor surrounding the bed. He didn't stop her. The mood had long since evaporated into thin air and this conversation was taking his time and attention.

"Someone pinned you down and carved a horrid word into your arm, 'Mione!" Paul exclaimed, pulling shorts on. "When you told me about the past and the war, _this _was never mentioned. Why?"

"Do you recall how you reacted to the scar on my stomach? If you'd been told the story about this one, you would've changed for sure!" she answered with a raised voice.

"So this is purely about how I'd react? Because I think I've just seen the scar and reacted pretty damn well!" He was shouting too now and the couple were glaring furiously at each other.

"Oh yeah? It fucking sounds like it!"

Paul sighed and took a step back, running his hands through his hair and tugging on it to try and not lose his temper. He managed, but barely.

"I don't want to argue with you, Hermione," he said, speaking quietly. "I just wanted to know why you couldn't tell me. You're my imprint and if you feel like we can't communicate then we're going to have a problem."

Hermione huffed, buttoning up the front of her top as she tried to calm herself down.

"I love you and this whole conversation has clearly gotten out of control. Why don't we go back to bed and we'll forget this whole argument. And my overreaction."

"I'm going home," she said shortly and he felt his heart drop. It must have shown on his face as her stoic look softened. "It's not you, I'd stay if I could but…" She trailed off with a sigh. "The scar is constantly glamoured and the last time I had any kind of flashback regarding the monster that gave this to me, I freaked out on you and escaped to England. I'd rather be home, with my potions, so I don't react."

Paul didn't argue with her and she apparated out of his bedroom with a loud crack.

* * *

"Hello, Mr Swan," Paul greeted the next morning, a box of doughnuts in hand. Charlie let him in with a grunt that served as a greeting and the door clicked shut behind him. "How did she sleep?"

"Like a log," Charlie answered as he wandered into the kitchen to grab his cup of coffee. "She came home and took some of her dreamless sleep potion or whatever it's called. She stayed in the same position all night."

"That's good," Paul commented, sagging slightly with relief.

"She doesn't like taking it. Says that having it too often can cause her to become addicted. I can only assume that she had a good reason for taking it."

"I saw her scar," Paul answered tentatively, motioning to his arm. "The outcome wasn't the best and she left." They said nothing else regarding her or the scar since the witch in question was walking down the stairs.

"Morning 'Mione," Charlie called and grinned when Hermione answered with a muffled yawn.

"Good morning, babe," Paul greeted when she wandered into the kitchen and she smiled brightly at him, stumbling over and kissing him on the forehead. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, sitting on the chair next to Paul.

"I cooked eggs for you," Charlie told her, scooping some scrambled eggs onto a plate and placing it in front of her. "We're lucky it's one of the few foods I can cook without burning." She chuckled and eagerly started digging in before faltering and placing the spoon back onto the table.

"I'll be back in a second," she mumbled before rushing out of the room. Paul heard her enter the bathroom and emptying her stomach only moments later.

"Now that's she gone, Lahote, we're going to have a chat." Paul frowned, looking up at the police chief with confusion. Why was the room suddenly filled with tense air? "I'm sure I will be seeing a lot more of you in the future-"

"Hopefully," Paul agreed happily.

"Don't interrupt me." Paul gulped. "I had hoped that a boy like you would be more careful. Especially with your history." Paul frowned, not understanding where this was going. Charlie sighed, exasperated. "If you've knocked my niece up, I will shoot you."

Oh, shit.

* * *

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Paul asked as the two were having a picnic on the cliffs, looking over La Push. "You've been throwing up constantly, and I saw you eating raspberry jam tarts the other day. You _hate _raspberries."

"And because of those two things, you think I'm pregnant?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "We've used protection every time and I don't even know if I can have kids due to the curse used in the war."

"But you don't know for sure." He shook his head. "Anyway, we'll get to that when we get to it. But there was that one time, after a Pack meeting where we'd both drunk a bit much. I can't remember if we did or not. And even if we did, condoms aren't a hundred percent."

She was silent for a moment, thinking it over and sighed. "It's possible. My magic drains haven't ever caused me to throw up like this before. Or ever." She sighed and leaned back in Paul's embrace, relaxing when he started running his hands through her hair. "What if I am?"

"Well, you'll have to move in with me so I can be there for you all the time. Then we'd have to find a place suitable for a baby." She nodded in agreement and they both fell into thoughtful silence. "It's a big step."

"But it may seem like we're going to have to take it." She bit into her sandwich and sighed. "He'd look like you."

"She'd look like you," he declared, his tone leaving no argument.

* * *

"Paul!" Jared called, jogging to catch up with his friend on the street. The wolf turned around, smiling when he noticed Jared coming towards him and slowed down for him to catch up. "What are you doing? I thought you were spending the day with Hermione."

"She's going to the doctor's," he answered, running a hand through his hair as they started walking again. "She didn't want me to come."

"Why not?"

"She's gone to see the Cullen's."

"Is it serious? And why him of all the doctors?"

"Charlie insisted," Paul said, kicking a stone on the path. "And he can detect things that others can't. Tests aren't always correct as well. He'd be able to tell her the answer."

"What's going on, Paul?" Jared asked worriedly, pulling Paul to a stand still. "Is it serious?"

"Jared, we think she might be pregnant."

* * *

"Thank you so much," Hermione said before she'd even greeted everyone with a hello. "I appreciate you doing this for me. I'd do it myself but I don't know the spells and I'm not going to go searching through the shops round here because they make me homesick and I don't want to ask my family back home because they'll get way more into this than really necessary and then I thought about resorting to muggle tests but even they aren't correct all the time so I-"

"Hermione, you're rambling," Carlisle interrupted, smiling at her kindly. She nodded, allowing herself to be led from the entrance of the house - which was surprisingly empty - to Carlisle's office. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I think I might be pregnant."

* * *

"So, what are you gonna do?" Jared asked, biting into his hot dog that he'd grabbed as they'd headed towards a bench to sit and talk. "Patrols aren't really children accommodating at the moment."

"That's why i'm applying for jobs," he said. "If I have a job, I can get my own income instead of leeching off of Dad and Hermione and then Sam would have to make exceptions for me. I don't know, man. Is a vampire fighting wolf really a good role model for a kid? It's a dangerous life style."

Jared couldn't argue with him there.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Carlisle told her. "You aren't pregnant." Hermione nodded, relieved with the answer but feeling an odd sense of sadness. "I take it, the whole ordeal wasn't planned?"

She laughed sarcastically and shook her head. "No. Paul and I have been freaking out the past day or so, trying to get to terms with the fact that we may have to sort our lives out but… But it's good i'm not pregnant. We weren't ready for one anyway."

The sadness still didn't go away.

"You may not be ready for one but the thought had festered and the idea was nice, wasn't it?" he asked gently and she nodded, sniffling. "I've seen many couples experience what you're experiencing but they all come back from it. There isn't much else I can say."

"Don't worry about it, Carlisle," she reassured, standing up from her seat. "It will make Charlie happy at least."

* * *

The couple sat in silence, neither knowing what to say. They were both experiencing the same emotions and thoughts. Relief. Sadness. No baby meant they could get themselves to a better place - financially, mentally and physically - before beginning their family. They really wanted that kid.

Paul didn't say anything when Hermione cried herself to sleep that night, instead wrapping his arms around her and crying silently in her hair.

He really wanted that Mini-Hermione.

* * *

"Why are you not packing?" Hermione asked, hands on hips as she watched her boyfriend watch tele. "We're leaving in three days!"

"You just answered your question," he replied, not even looking at her. He grinned at her huff and wrapped an arm around her when she plopped onto the settee next to him. "Look, I'm a guy. We're known for packing last minute. We'll be fine."

"Are you sure you want to go?" she asked and he sighed, looking at her and tweaking her nose.

"Yes, I'm sure. This is my chance to see more of your world. Harry even said he'd take me to Quidditch match - whatever that is."

"But-"

"Don't you want me to go?"

"Of course I want you to go!" she replied, shocked that he'd think otherwise. "But a lot of it is going to be interviews for me so that people can understand my story and part in the war. Kingsley also wants me to sit down and talk to the historians or something." She rolled her eyes.

"Look, I understand that going back is more for political reasons but it doesn't mean that we can't have fun! We have the rest of our lives to explore your world, it doesn't matter if I'm spending most of my time there getting to know your family and friends now, does it?"

"No," she mumbled, smiling at the effort he was willingly going to make for her.

"Good, now sit down and watch the football with me."

"This isn't football," she protested and he muffled her complaints with a hand over her mouth, grinning at her indignant response.

* * *

"What do you mean she's ill?" Hermione asked, fighting off tears. "Can we see her?" Charlie shook his head, sitting on the nearest seat with shaking hands. Paul was stood in the hallways, his bag by his feet and his jaw clenched. So, that's how they were going to play it.

Paul and Hermione had been getting ready to leave for England, packing the final pieces and making sure everything was good when Charlie had received a call. Hermione had been by her Uncle's side the moment Bella's name had been mentioned and even when the phone was put down, the bad news declared, she hadn't moved.

Their distraught faces and the tears they were both fighting had him quelling the urge to shout to the rooftops about the truth. Hermione had already known about the vampires but even she wasn't aware of Bella's intent to change just yet. Or maybe she did, and she was upset because she wouldn't be able to see her cousin for a long time.

"I need to call Billy," Charlie muttered and Paul bit his tongue so he didn't tell him how much of a bad idea that was. Telling Billy would just get Jacob aware of the situation earlier than the leeches probably intended and would only mean problems for everyone. He wouldn't be afraid to confront them.

"You call Billy and I'll start unpacking," Hermione said, comforting her Uncle. "We'll stay, you can't be going through this alone. Neither of us can."

"No," Charlie protested. "You've been planning this for a while and it will take your mind off of things. It'll be good for you both to go." Hermione opened her mouth to protest and carry on the argument but a glare from her Uncle caused her to shut her mouth. "Go." She nodded and silently left the room, walking upstairs with Paul following like a lost puppy.

The moment they were both in her room, and the door was shut behind her, she cried. His arms were wrapped around her immediately and it made her cry harder. "Shhh," he whispered, swaying her side to side. "Shhh." He repeated it over and over until her sobs were merely sniffles.

"She's gone," she whispered. "They've changed her and though I knew it was coming, it's still so hard to deal with."

"I know, sweetie, I know."

"No, you don't," she protested. "My cousin is choosing immortality and for her to live this life that she wants, she has to make her family think that she's dead. I'll be able to keep seeing her but I'd have to lie to Charlie. I can't do that." Her face scrunched up as tears streaked down her cheeks again. "I can't."

"And you won't be lying. He won't be asking if you saw Bella. He'd believe her to be dead and the only times he'd mention her is when you're both thinking about the memories you have of her." She nodded and he wiped her cheeks with his thumbs as he cradled her face. "Now, you need to decide. Are we staying or going?"

"We're going," she commented determinedly. He was still unconvinced but before anything could be done, a loud howl erupted from the woods. He ignored it and went to help her pack some final pieces of clothes but a louder, more demanding one was made and he knew that he wouldn't be able to fight the call much longer. "Go," she said quietly, twisting the cuff of her jumper. "You're needed here."

"You need me and we're going to England. They know this, they can wait till I get back."

"Paul…"

"No, Hermione!" he snapped. "They know we've got this planned. If it hadn't been for the phone call then we'd have been gone by now." Another howl and he sighed.

"Paul, look, I've got a lot of political and war stuff to do over there. So has Harry and Ron and a lot of the people that you'd be spending time with. The only time we don't is when we'd be going to the Twins' party which is only for one night."

"What are you saying?"

"Stay. Stay here and when I'm done with my business over there, I'll come back and we can go back for even longer. I can get you to experience even more than you would normally." She walked over and put her hands on his cheeks so that he was forced to stare at her. "Paul, I love you so much but maybe, maybe these two weeks apart are what we need as well. We've spent every day together since the wedding and practically of them together before that. With the whole pregnancy fiasco, maybe this is what we need."

Paul sighed and fought the urge to act like a caveman by throwing her over his shoulder and locking her in his house so she couldn't go too far away from him. She'd be safer in England though. She'd be amongst her own kind where she's a celebrity and nobody would dare hurt the Golden Girl. Here, here there were vampires and wolves and going by the howling that was still going on outside, there was something big and dangerous going on.

"Fine. Okay." He sighed, kissing her forehead. "I love you. Stay safe and call me when you get the chance."

"I promise. I love you too." With one last passionate kiss, Paul gave her a long look as if to memorise her, and left out of her window, transforming the moment he was hidden by trees and leaving. She watched him leave and sighed as she felt empty and cold.

"'Mione, I've been called into work," Charlie shouted. She rushed down the stairs and embraced him.

"Should you be going? Especially after finding out about Bella just now."

"I've got to do something to get her off of my mind. The way Carlisle was speaking, he was making it seem bad." Her Uncle blinked rapidly, fighting the tears. "It'll help me to do something. I'll see you when you get back. Love you."

"Love you too, Uncle Charlie," she replied and sighed as she was left on her own. Only moments ago she had two of the most important men in her life surrounding her. Both of them were happy, laughing and teasing her but now she was alone. Both of her men sad, pissed off and worried. "Better to get moving," she muttered to herself, heading upstairs to pick up her final bag. She put her wand on her bed, bag beside it, as she moved to her desk so that she could pick up a picture of her and Paul.

She screamed when she turned around, her whole body jumping as she nearly collided with Emmett. "What the fuck are you doing here?" she hissed once she got her breathing under control. "Couldn't you have knocked?"

"No time," he told her, pulling her gently towards the window. "You're needed." He wrapped his arms around her, flinging her onto his back and jumped out of the window, heading towards his home before she could even comprehend what was going on.

"What's going on, Emmett?"

"We don't really know the full of it yet," he told her honestly. "But what we do know, isn't good."

**End of Part 1.**


	30. Part 2

**And so, Part 2 begins.**

"_This better be fucking important," _Paul growled as soon as he was in wolf form. He didn't care that he had cut off Sam as he was mid-speech because he was _pissed. _

"_Paul, I thought you were going to England," _Jared said, confusion showing in his mind. "_What the hell are you doing here?"_

"_The incessant howling was enough to drag anyone away to get the row to fucking shut up. Now, what's the fucking problem?"_

"_Bella," _Leah replied with little interest. Paul growled and shook his head.

"_Really? That's the problem? She's dying, she's becoming immortal. The treaty can hardly be classed as broken when she wants it to happen so she can live with her husband happily ever after."_

"_You've turned mild," _Seth replied teasingly and stepped backwards as he rocketed through the bush and joined them in their circle. "_But it's cool because I agree with you. As does Sam and pretty much everyone else." _

Paul stared at Leah in shock and it was quite comical to see her wolf shrug. "_Why do I care what that bitch does with her life?" _She had a fair point.

"_Where's Jake?" _Paul asked, realising that they were missing one wolf. "_He didn't."_

"_Oh yes, he did," _Jared replied with a huff. "_Probably gone and got himself killed."_

"_How long has he been gone?" _Paul asked, only a twinge of worry for his friend since his mind was still partly focused on Hermione. "_Should we go after him?" _

"_No," _Sam answered, ordering the Pack as they started to get restless. "_We wait. They aren't going to be stupid enough to attack him when they have to deal with Bella at the moment. He'll be back soon. Embry, you stick with Rachel and Billy. Let them know he's okay the moment he comes back."_

"_Will do," _Embry replied.

The pack waited impatiently for Jacob to return and to pass the time, they discussed mundane and simple things whilst Paul paced impatiently around them. They'd tried to include him in the conversations and he'd been snappy and short. Now, without any important conversation to focus on, his mind had immediately narrowed in on Hermione.

Only Leah made her annoyance known but the others couldn't blame him, especially since it was a new relationship for him and he was changing as well as the fact he had to leave her abruptly. That in itself was enough to have put him in a bad mood but with Jacob freaking out like he had with the Bella situation, could've just put him in a dangerous situation.

Jacob's mind joined the fray and they all relaxed slightly.

"_Jacob" "Jacob!" "Jake" _All of them expressed their relief and worry by saying his name and he didn't answer them. They saw the trees blur as he ran towards them and then he began to think about what he'd learnt at the Cullen's.

Embry faded out and let Jacob's sister and dad know that he was okay but they barely noticed, all of them focused on the horrific images that were being filtered through their mind link.

There were just no words.

Paul stared at the images of Bella, looking at how grotesque she looked and shook his head to focus on what was going on. The loud shouting in his head was testament to how freaked out everyone else was and without discussing it, they moved as a unit to meet Jacob halfway home.

"_How can this be? What does it mean? What will it be?" _Paul asked, completely taken back. He tried to listen for any answers but all he could hear was a puddle of words with the occasional person being distinguishable.

"_Not safe. Not right. Dangerous." _That was Jared.

"_Unnatural. Monstrous. An abomination." _Of course Leah would contribute.

"_We can't allow it." _And there was Sam, the voice of reason. Majority of the Pack agreed with his thoughts whilst the rest remained silent, though they did look worried about what was occurring. "_The treaty does not cover this."_

"_This puts everyone in danger," _Leah added and Sam nodded in agreement.

The voice came in a whole swirl then and Paul was completely overwhelmed and in shock to understand who was speaking. A glance at Jake showed that he too was troubling to comprehend the situation and so Paul moved from his place by Sam's side to sit next to him.

"_They fear it, too."_

"_But they won't do anything about it."_

"_Protecting Bella Swan."_

"_We can't let that influence us." _Paul could definitely sense Leah's hate in that sentence.

"_The safety of our families, of everyone here, is more important that one human."_

"_If they won't kill it, we have to."_

"_Protect the tribe."_

"_Protect our families."_

"_No time to waste," _Jared thought.

"_It will mean a fight," _Paul cautioned, standing up from his seat as he joined the conversation. "_A bad one." _He was definitely glad that Hermione was safe in England now.

"_We're ready," _Embry insisted and Paul could sense that his drive was more for concern over Rachel and his family than a deep urge to kill things.

"_We'll need surprise on our side," _Sam thought and it seemed to trigger the strategizing thoughts for practically everyone.

"_If we catch them divided, we can take them down separately. It will increase our chances of victory," _Jared contributed and Paul felt the beginnings of guilt fester in his stomach. These creatures were Hermione's friends, even her family! She'd hate him.

"_Wait," _Jake said, and Paul felt relieved that someone else had stepped up before him.

"_There's little time," _Sam disagreed.

"_But - what are you thinking? You wouldn't attack them for breaking the treaty this afternoon but you're planning an ambush now even with the treaty still intact!" _

"_This wasn't something the treaty anticipated," _Sam said. "_This is a danger to every human in the area. We don't know what kind of creature the Cullens have bred, but we know that it is strong and fast-growing. And it will be too young to follow any treaty. Remember the newborn vampires we fought? Wild, violent, beyond the reach of reason or restraint. Imagine one like that, but protected by the Cullens."_

"_But we don't know-" _Jacob protested and Paul was beginning to agree with the younger lad. Sam had a quelling argument but Jake's was also sound. We just didn't know.

"_We _don't _know," _Sam agreed. "_And we can't take the chances with the unknown in this case. Are you willing to risk your family and your Pack over this? What about your friends?"_

"_But it's a baby!"_

"_You've only just got Hermione back," _Sam continued, ignoring Jacob. "_Are you really willing to risk the life of your best friend, Paul's imprint?" _Paul growled at the thought of losing her, it would hurt him so much he'd find no point in living. "_Exactly. I'm not risking this chance for Emily's life, neither is Embry with Rachel's life. Jared's not going to take that chance when Kim is at stake and Claire still has a long way to go so why would Quil want to play fifty - fifty on her life?"_

"_But it is a baby now and will be a baby when it is born!" _Jacob protested, determined. Even Paul was beginning to side with Sam, especially with Hermione flashed in front of him.

"_It won't be a baby for long," _Leah muttered.

"_Jake, buddy, this is a big problem," _Quil said, speaking to his friend in the hopes of getting him on their side. Paul could see it was hopeless. "_We can't just ignore it."_

"_The only one who's in danger is Bella," _Jake protested. "_You're all making it into something bigger than it actually is."_

"_She chose this and now her decision affects us all." _Jacob glared at Sam, both in mind and wolf. "_We can't take the chance that everything is going to be okay and I'm not going to make my decision based on vampires and a lovesick wolf. We are not allowing a blood drinker on our lands."_

"_Then tell them to leave," _Seth piped up. He was the only wolf openly siding with Jacob and Paul wished he was that carefree and mind innocent but his prejudices for the leeches were still too strong.

"_So we can pass this menace onto others who have no protection? No," _Sam countered and Seth whined pitifully. "_We protect everyone we can."_

"_This is crazy!" _Jake exclaimed. "_Only this afternoon you were reluctant to put the Pack in danger."_

"_This afternoon I was unaware of the risk our families were in."_

"_How are you going to kill it without killing Bella?" _Paul asked, finally piping up. Everyone fell silent and Paul felt dread fill his gut. He didn't know if he could kill Hermione's family and then look her in the eye ever again. Jacob howled out in grief and protest at the thought.

"_She's human, too! Doesn't our protection apply to her?"_

"_She's dying anyway," _Leah commented. "_We'll just shorten the process."_

Paul growled with a threat in his mind at the girl but Jacob acted out more, jumping away from Seth and Paul towards the female wolf with his teeth bared. He would've got her too, if it wasn't for Sam dragging him back.

"_Stop!" _Sam ordered, his voice taking the tone of a full Alpha. Jacob's legs shook but he remained standing. Paul stared at his friend, trying to offer support silently through his eyes and he believed that Jacob received it. It wasn't until Paul's name was mentioned that he realised he hadn't been listening.

"_Paul, Jared and I will take on Edward and Rosalie. From the information Jacob has brought us, they'll be the ones to guard Bella under an attack." _Paul's mind closed off and he ignored the rest of the conversation. His eyes sent to Jacob's who looked like he was in pain. His eyes flickered to Seth, who looked like he was going to cry, and around the rest of the Pack. Brady and Collin, the two youngest members of the Pack who had only changed recently and mainly kept to themselves were looking terrified and he didn't blame them. It was a lot for them to do so soon.

The pacing of the Pack was a large mess of fur and the only wolves stood still were Jacob and Seth - the younger of whom was still in the submissive position that he'd been forced into from Sam's order. Paul, himself, wasn't standing still but he wasn't pacing with excitement and nerves like the others were. He was trying to subtly think of a way for this to not turn sour.

"_You will perform this obligation," _Sam ordered and Paul once again realised that he'd zoned out and missed even more than before, but, seeing Jacob on the floor. He realised that this time, there was even less hope. Because no member of the Pack could refuse the Alpha.

* * *

Embry was whining in Jacob's ear, nudging him silently to get up. Paul could see the pleas in his eyes for his friend to get up and just do what was being asked, ordered of him but even Paul was feeling sick about this. This was Hermione's cousin, her family and he held her in his arms only hours ago as she cried about the loss of her. To make it permanent and to be a part of it would be asking for his imprint to hate him.

"_There's no point fighting it," _Embry said, speaking to the downed wolf and Paul felt his heart skip with excitement. He knew how to stop this from turning into a bloodbath!

He padded over to his friend and looked into his eyes, conveying reassurement and a dash of excitement.

"_Nobody can disobey this Alpha," _Paul said. Majority of the Pack ignored his message but he felt Jared's curious glance and Embry's confused one. Jacob's eyes had widened and Paul was relieved that his message had been caught. Who knows how long it could've been before he'd figured it out himself.

Jacob stood, not even forcing himself to against the Alpha's order and Paul could see that he'd just chosen his path. "_No," _Jacob spoke, talking to Sam who was speaking strategy with Jared and Leah. Sam jumped back a half-step with a yelp.

"_What have you done?"_

"_I won't follow you Sam. Not for something so wrong."_

"_You would… You would choose your enemies over your family?"_

Leah huffed and scratched at the ground. "_Typical Jacob, can't do anything right." _Paul growled threateningly at her and the Pack's eyes turned on him.

"_Paul, stand down." _The Alpha effect washed right over him because he'd chosen his path, too. "_You'd side with enemies over family as well?"_

"_No," _Paul replied. "_I choose my imprint's family over you. That's my choice." _Sam shook his head with disappointment but Paul felt no guilt.

"_Jacob - you can't turn your back on the tribe."_

The Pack sensed the Alphaness in the voice but Jacob showed no signs of being affected.

"_Ephraim Black's son was not born to follow Levi Uley's."_

"_Is this it then, Jacob Black?" _Sam replied with hackles raised and his muzzle pulled back from his teeth. Jared snarled and bristled by his side but Paul skidded to Jacob's side and returned the favour. He watched his best friend falter and look pitifully at his Alpha. "_Even if you can defeat me, the Pack will never follow you."_

Both Jacob and Sam continued their arguments and Jared focused on looking at his best friend. He could understand why Paul had chosen this side. Hermione would kill him if he'd done anything else. Jacob abruptly turned and ran away from the Pack and Paul realised that he couldn't hear his friend anymore and that he'd also missed the ending of the argument. He shot one last look at Jared - who nodded in understanding - and turned to follow Jacob.

"_Looks like it's just you and me, pal," _Paul greeted and Jacob barked out a laugh.

**I've written some other things, read some other stories, and started to re-read Breaking Dawn to get a better feel of this story. I'm also aware part of this dialogue was from the actual book which is why I cut the scene down so much because I didn't want to copy so much.**


	31. Chapter 31

"Emmett, I don't know what I can do here. I don't even think it's safe," Hermione said quietly. It didn't matter about her volume because she knew that they could all hear her inside but it was still how she acted. "I don't even have my wand with me! That was left at home with my bag." Her voice turned grumpy and it seemed like she was talking more to herself than him.

"Right. I'll get your wand, and grab a bag or two, whatever you want but stay and talk to her, please?" Emmett said, looking around awkwardly. He looked confused and out of place, as if he didn't know how to cope with the scenario they were in. Strange since she was sure he'd be able to handle a newborn vampire. He disappeared before her eyes, the blur which was the vampire, heading back to her home being the only indication of which direction he'd gone.

"Right," she commented, dragging out the vowel. She took a glance around the familiar house, noting the lights that were on in the house and she sighed. Her gut was telling her that something was off and with Bella becoming a vampire, she sure wished she had her wand for some sort of protection.

The door opened as she stepped onto the porch and she looked into the relieved yet worried face of Alice.

"What's going on?" she asked the vampire, tentatively stepping into the house and looking around with caution.

"You need to see for yourself."

"How do I take it?" Hermione questioned, a small smirk quirking at her lips. She was pretty confident that she wasn't going to take it well just because of their reactions.

"I can't tell," Alice gritted out, her whole face looking frustrated. Jasper appeared at her side, placing a calming hand on her shoulder and they both watched her face relax before nodding her thanks and leaving the house. Hermione turned her questioning gaze to Jasper.

"Bella wants to speak to you," he told her before following his mate out.

"What the fuck?" she breathed though she might as well have spoken at normal tones with everyone in the house having super hearing. She passed Carlisle and Esme, both of whom were standing in the kitchen doorway, holding each other close and staring with worried eyes at the settee. At the piece of furniture in question, Edward stood at the side of it, looking worse than everyone. She could almost believe that he was an ill human for how shit he looked. Rosalie was also stood there, though her defensive stance and glare was more than she expected from the usually stoic blonde.

"Hermione," Edward greeted, his tone indicating his relief.

"Edward," she answered back with a nod, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "What's going on? I'm not really interested in cloak and dagger shit right now. I've just come out from all that crap."

"Edward, move," a croaky voice requested and Hermione's eyes widened with shock. That was her cousin. Her talking cousin who should currently be in a comatose bordering dead state whilst they all waited for the venom to complete its work. Hermione didn't even realise that her feet had been moving until she was standing before the settee that was being used as a bed and looking down at her grey skinned family member. "Hey, Hermione."

"Holy fuck," Hermione gaped, stepping back with shock and being extremely grateful to Edward for being behind to support her. "Why are you alive?"

"Sorry to disappoint," Bella teased, coughing slightly at the end. Hermione opened her mouth to apologise but the newly married woman waved her off. "I know what you meant. In theory, I should still have a few more weeks as a warm blooded being but there were some circumstances that crept up that even Alice couldn't have seen."

"Huh?"

"Rosalie, help me up," Bella requested. The blonde vampire rushed to her side and urged her to stay sitting down but a glare from Bella caused her to sigh and help her up. Hermione was even more grateful to Edward for catching her as she fainted. "She took that better than I thought," Bella commented, looking at the limp witch. "I was expecting shouting and cursing."

"She hasn't woken up yet," Edward muttered, low enough for only the vampires to hear.

* * *

"_Do you have any idea what you've just done?"_ Jacob asked as the two ran towards the Cullen's. "_Sam won't let you go home."_

"_Sam can't stop me from seeing Hermione. Hermione's my home so why does it matter?"_ Paul sniffed, raising his head as Jacob laughed and took the piss out of his softness. "_Shut up, Black."_

"_I didn't say anything, Paul,_" he defended immediately, his chuckles slowing. "_It's just nice to see you acting like this. Soft, fluffy, cute."_

"_Piss off, Jacob, before I tear your leg off!"_

"_I'm your Alpha now," _Jake teased. "_I'd just order you to back the fuck up."_

"_And then he'd apologise profusely because Jake never wanted to be Alpha," _another voice piped up and Jacob groaned. What the hell was Seth doing here in _this _Pack? This Pack were the ones that couldn't go home anymore, the outlaws, the mental ones who are siding with leeches. "_You do know, Paul, that even though you aren't speaking, we can still hear what you're thinking?"_

"_I know," _he replied, imagining his middle finger being waved in the kid's direction. "_I meant for you to hear me. You've just abandoned your mum and Leah. They're going to kick your arse when this has blown over."_

"_Or maybe the arse kicking will come to him before," _a different voice commented and all three male wolves groaned. "_Thanks for the welcome."_

"_Leah? Come on," _Seth whined. "_What are you doing here?"_

"_Somebody has to protect you," _she responded.

"_Turn back guys," _Jacob growled. "_If you leave now and join Sam again, you can get back before they notice you even left." _Pitiful howls erupted miles back and Jacob sighed. "_Turn back and plead. They'll forgive you both; you, Leah, because you followed family and you, Seth, because you are young."_

"_You don't get it, do you, Jake?" _Leah asked, chuckling in her head. "_This new pack is the best thing for me. I can finally live my life as a wolf without having to deal with the reminder of Sam and Emily." _Paul couldn't argue with that logic.

"_Leeches, Leah," _Jake added. "_You'll be living with leeches for the foreseeable future."_

"_Fuck it, I'll cope."_

* * *

"I've gone fucking loony," she breathed as she woke up, her mind processing everything that had occurred since arriving at the Cullen's home. "Absolutely mad."

"Nope," Edward told her, entering the room as soon as he'd heard her first speak. He helped her sit up and passed her a glass of water. "I really did get my wife pregnant."

"How is that possible?" He shot her a look and she glared at him; now was not the time for trying to be funny. "How is it possible for a vampire and a human to have a child? That… that _thing _is more vampire than she currently is and could kill her. It could everyone! Immortal children aren't created for a reason!"

"Hermione, we know. You know, I know, we know but she's adamant. You need to dissuade her. Please."

"You know Bella, she wouldn't listen to me even if I could see the future!"

"Try."

* * *

"Bella, please," Hermione pleaded. The witch was getting frustrated and the glares that she was receiving from Blondie - for she was so angry that Hermione couldn't find it in her to be nice - was not helping her mood at all. "Do you know what this thing could do?"

"This _thing," _she hissed, "is my baby. And no, I don't. Do you?"

"You know damn well that I have no clue what that thing will do when it's out of your body. And neither do you. You are putting everyone at risk by being stubborn and stupid enough to keep this going. End the pregnancy, become a vampire and bloody well adopt. It's not going to kill you to do that whereas this might!"

"Edward and Carlisle will change me in time."

"And what if they don't, huh? What if, because of that creature you insist on calling a baby, they can't give you the venom and you end up just a dead body on a table? Could you do that to Edward? To me?"

Bella was silent, staring at her in shock as she got lost in her thoughts. Hermione held a valid point, one that she had considered herself but never been voiced to her. Having someone else think of that made the danger, the risk, all the more real.

"I can't sit here and watch you do this to yourself," Hermione whispered dejectedly. "Please?"

"I'm not giving up on my baby," Bella whispered, wrapping her arms around her protruding belly in a protective manner. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but I can't."

**This'll have to do. I've been complaining to one of my friends on this forum that I'm on about how I'm struggling to write. It has taken me this long just to crack this out and I'm so pissed off. Next one will be longer. Promise.**


	32. Chapter 32

**So we made over 500 followers the other day and so I forced myself to sit down and actually finish this chapter. **

"How are you?" Edward asked, leaning against the doorframe as he watched the witch bustle around her makeshift study and room.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she countered without even looking up from the book that she was studying. "It's your wife and child." He was glad that she wasn't looking because it gave him the freedom to flinch and blanch without her pitying looks. He had enough of them from every other family member except Rosalie.

"She's your cousin," he told her and she snorted, a sound of disgust - though whether it was at him, herself of the cousin in question, he didn't know.

"Yeah, my cousin." She sighed and shook her head, dropping the book she'd been reading onto the table. "She's family and I should be supporting her in her decision, finding a way for everything to be okay but I'm not, I wasn't! I waltzed into that room, sat down next to her and said kill the baby or else."

"You didn't say that."

"Well, I might as well have," she hissed, tugging on her hair. "And the thing is, that wasn't the point I was trying to get across! I sat down and talked to her because I wanted to get into her mindset, see how the baby was affecting her and if there was another outcome but just seeing her so sick and in pain made all this anger bubble up and erupt for that thing she calls a baby! Until I know it isn't a danger to her and anyone else, that baby will only be a problem in my eyes." Tears trickled down her cheeks at her final declaration and Edward tentatively moved closer to offer comfort. "Why am I so heartless?"

"You were in a war, Hermione," he offered. "It changes perspectives. Without the war, you would've sat with and discussed children names and planned a nursery with only the slightest worry of the risks. With the war, you are aware of dangers that crop up out of nowhere. Your senses are wizened. It doesn't make you heartless."

* * *

"Was that Hermione shouting?" Bella asked, looking to Esme who had been brushing her hair. Esme nodded, making a confirmation noise but not offering anything else. "What was it about? What did she say?"

"She's worried about you," she offered, placing the brush on the table beside Bella's resting place and running her fingers through the limp locks. "She hates herself for how she handled things earlier."

"It's okay," Bella breathed, her eyes drooping as her body relaxed with Esme's movements. "I understand. She wants what's best for her family. It's a good trait to have."

"It is indeed."

* * *

"_I guess we're lucky that Sam won't dare try and attack now," _Paul chatted as the foursome made their way to 'Leech Land'. "_He's lost too many of us and we're wild cards at the moment, a factor that he has to now consider."_

"_His original plan definitely can't be used. Especially since we were all parts of it," _Jacob concurred. "_We're only delaying the inevitable, however."_

"_But we are getting more time," _Seth interjected. "_Maybe it will help them in the long run. They can find out more about the baby and maybe set up a new home somewhere else."_

"_But you heard Sam, Seth," _Leah said. "_Sam's not going to let this _baby _be shoved onto anyone else. He'll hunt them down. They'll have to prove that it isn't going to hurt anyone before he backs off."_

"_So, we have to prove that it won't hurt anyone," _Seth declared. Leah projected herself rolling her eyes and Seth sulked at his sister.

"_Have you seen what that thing is doing to Bella?" _Leah snarked. "_It's killing her from the inside out! It's dangerous and that is clear as day."_

Whilst the two siblings bickered, Paul chased closer to Jacob and gave him a playful nudge in the shoulder, gaining his attention fully. _"You okay?"_ he asked, not expecting an answer and therefore not disappointed when he didn't get one. _"We'll get through this,"_ he vowed.

_"Leah's right,"_ Jacob admitted around a sigh, jumping over a fallen log. _"This baby of hers is killing her. That means it's dangerous, which means that it could be a lot worse than we think. That could mean that we made the wrong decision and Sam would be right which proves that I'm definitely not cut out for this Alpha shit."_

_"Don't say that,"_ Paul argued, dashing around a tree. The smell of vampire was getting stronger and it would be only minutes before they were on their land fully, no regard for the treaty line and solely on enemy soil. "_You and I both know that we could never have stood by and allowed it to happen."_

_"If you hadn't imprinted on Hermione then you would still be there, raring up for a good fight!"_ Jacob growled. Paul growled back in annoyance, hackles raised.

_"But that's the difference! I did imprint on Hermione and she changed my point of view, clearly, for the better! She's close to the Cullens and therefore I've had to put up with them in some respect."_

_"You're happy with how this imprint has changed you? It's outrageous!"_

_"The Cullens aren't that bad. If that means Hermione - the woman that we both care for - has changed me, then so be it."_

_"Wahey! I knew someone would come around to my side of thinking,"_ Seth cheered and both Paul and Jacob realised that their conversation hadn't been ignored. Paul glared at his Alpha before putting on a burst of speed and ignoring everyone else until they had passed the treaty line.

_"I'll map out our own space, making it known. With the time that we have and the amount of wolves we've got, it won't be a lot."_

_"Seth, head out with Paul,"_ Jacob ordered. _"Leah, you're with me. We'll let the Cullens know what's gone down."_ With the dismissal, the silver wolf bounded away, Seth heading in the opposite direction. "_Paul, I'm so-"_

_"Don't bother,"_ Paul interrupted. _"You've made your feelings pretty clear."_

Jacob turned to look at the last remaining wolf with him and the all too innocent look on her face hinted to how she was trying not to say anything. He knew that anything she'd have to say wouldn't make him feel any better.

_"Get it over with,"_ Jacob demanded.

_"You're an absolute asshole. That's all I have to say."_

_"I accept that."_

The two ran towards the house in silence, their minds also blissfully quiet with Paul and Seth running their first patrol in silence too. When the house - could it really be called that? - came into sight, a familiar scent tickled Jacob's senses and he internally frowned. As they grew even closer to the Cullen's residence, Edward came out to meet them. He looked worse than the last time he'd been here.

_"Wow,"_ Leah breathed. _"He looks shit."_

Edward snorted, shaking his head at her words and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He resembled a human whose wife was heavily pregnant. The familiar scent was even stronger now that he'd got closer and he could almost name whose it was. A glance at the window had him making sense of it all.

_"Leah, cover patrols for Paul."_

_"What? We've only just got here!"_ He growled at her and she growled back but stepped away and left regardless. Paul turned back and headed towards the house though he didn't say anything about the sudden change in plans.

"Do you fancy something to eat?" Edward offered awkwardly. "Seems like you've been through hell these past few hours."

Jacob transformed back into his nude self and snorted. "You have no idea." Edward threw some clothes in his direction before he was able to take a step towards the house and he looked at them with confusion. "What the hell are these?"

"They're clothes, Jacob," Edward answered. "Esme wanted you to have them. I heard you a while ago and explained what was happening. She feels awful that you all gave up your life for us. You're effectively homeless."

"Hadn't considered that," Jacob shrugged. "So she gives me clothes to rectify my lack of a home?"

"Nah," Edward denied. "She gives you the clothes because she knows that none of us really want to see that." Jacob coughed awkwardly, having forgotten that he wasn't clothed since the change was so natural to him.

"Worried I'd steal your girl?"

"She seems pretty satisfied with what I have," Edward teased.

"That's what got us into this problem," Jacob countered but shoved his legs through the jeans regardless, not bothering to throw the top on and instead leaving it on the steps. "What's she doing here?" he asked abruptly, changing the conversation effectively. "This is no place for her."

"She'd argue that. She's been in worse situations."

"She has no idea what she's going up against! She could get herself killed!"

"Are you going to tell her this in person? If so, I do not envy that conversation, although I'm glad I'd be able to hear it from miles away unless she puts up a silencing spell."

Jacob glared at the leech but couldn't help but wonder if that was a conversation he should go without. She was a really fiery witch and she had been in a war, hated being dubbed weak because she was female and she'd hate it even more if it came from him.

"Good thinking," Edward commented. "You've got a visitor." The wolf looked up in confusion, catching sight of this brown blur before he was knocked back a step.

"Jake! Oh my God! Jake!" Hermione babbled and he wrapped his arms around her in comfort. "I have no idea what's going on but with you being here it gives me some more comfort. Where's Paul?" She pulled back and looked at him, gazing into his eyes as if she could read his mind. They'd had the conversation about her spells and skill set and he knew that she could if she wanted to. "He didn't stay with Sam, so where is he?"

"How do you know that he didn't stay with Sam?"

"Paul wouldn't do that," she gritted out and he stepped back, palms up in a surrendering gesture. "So where is he?" Just as she asked it, a silver wolf bounded out of the woods and stuttered to a shocked stop. "I knew it," she breathed, before shoving Jacob out of the way and running away from the house and in Paul's direction.

The wolf trotted forward but seeing her speedy reaction to getting to him, he sped up too until they met in the middle. Once he got close enough, instead of bowling his imprint over, he transformed mid-stride and their bodies collided in a hug, tumbling to the ground laughing.

Edward smiled; with Paul here, maybe Hermione would chill out and not take everything to heart.

**There are some extreme plot twists coming up that could have you all shouting at me. I just want to say that these plot twists have been the whole reason I started writing this story and it isn't something that I just threw in for the sake of it.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Here are my apologies for the extremely long wait. I'd hit the dreaded writer's block but it's not such a way that I couldn't get the words out it's just that I didn't have any motivation to do anything.**

"Still want to tell her that this place is dangerous?" Edward asked, standing beside him as they watched the couple embrace, aware of their audience but not caring at all. "I mean, it seems like she has sufficient protection now."

"Shut up," Jacob hissed, guilt festering in his gut as he watched the loving couple. He'd insulted their imprint earlier and if - _when - _Hermione found out, she'd kill him.

"Ooh, tough one," Edward winced. "I'd hate to have made such a fatal mistake like that."

"Yeah, well any fatal mistake you seem to mistake has an effect on Bella, not yourself, so it doesn't really matter." He looked over at the vampire whose jaw was clenched so tightly that Jacob was sure his teeth were grounding together. "Does it?"

* * *

"I thought you were in England," Paul gasped in awe, cradling her face. "I thought you were safe."

"I'm safe with them but I'm even safer now that you're here," she told him, running her hands across his torso to check for any marks. "I knew you'd come. I knew it."

He chuckled at her and she grinned cheekily before peppering kisses along his neck. "Woah, tiger, slow down." She bit on his pulse point and he groaned. "Seriously, Hermione, stop."

"Why?" she whined, extending the word in a pout that resembled a five year old denied sweets.

"As much as I love you, and that's a lot, I really doubt you'd want to have sex with all those vampires in hearing distance. Plus, we haven't even been separated a day. What do you take me for, a desperate sex addict?"

"I missed you."

"I missed you too," he sympathised. "But as I said, it's only been a few hours."

"Feels like a decade," she muttered, standing up and holding him close as he joined her on his feet. "I don't know what it is and I don't know what I can do to help. I'm absolutely useless here!"

"No, baby, don't say that," Paul argued. "This is just something completely different and we're going to have to research it." She chewed her bottom lip in contemplative thought. "Stop thinking," he ordered. "This is personal for you, as this is personal for all of us but for you to help and make a difference, you're going to need to distance yourself."

"Distance myself? Paul, that's my cousin! I'm currently living in this house for the foreseeable future!"

"Look at this like a Detective would look at a murder. You're smart; you'll be able to look at this from a research perspective."

"And make her into my science lab project?" she scoffed. "Paul, this is a matter of life and death!" Her voice raised with each word until she was almost shouting.

"Why are you getting angry at me? I'm trying to help you here! If this is life and death, then you can help your cousin by researching and be able to help people in the future." He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "If you're going to shout at me then I need to speak to my _Alpha _and work on patrols." The way he spoke hinted his dislike at Jacob.

The couple stared at each other, chests slightly heaving with their frustration before Hermione sagged. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "This is just driving me crazy." He pulled her into his arms and pecked her on the forehead, resting his cheek on her head whilst she rested hers on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Even though it's been a few hours since we planned to go to England, so much has happened for both of us." She lifted her head, her chin resting on his chest so that she could look up at him. "Once we've had a decent sleep, maybe things will be easier on us." His stomach rumbled and she giggled.

"And once we've had a good meal too, I suppose?" He winked at her and her giggles escalated into a full blown laugh, one that made a grin spring to his face as he looked down at her.

"You know I can never turn down a bit of good food."

* * *

"Oh," Esme gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock. Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett all exchanged amused smiles which they hid from the female vampire. "That boy is hungry! That means the others are hungry probably hungry too and they've had such a stressful evening!" She immediately bustled to the kitchen, the sounds of different meals being prepared reaching their ears. "Rosalie! Alice! Come help me in here, please."

"I'm looking after Bella," Rosalie protested immediately whilst the small pixie rushed into the kitchen for assistance. "Can't the two of you handle it?"

"This time. Next time you can do something for our guests," she promised. "Something other than causing trouble."

Emmett and Jasper guffawed, covering Carlisle's low chuckles whilst Rosalie fumed beside a giggling and wincing Bella.

* * *

"Mind if I change back? I want to keep in contact with Seth and Leah." Edward showed no protests so Jacob quickly shook off his jeans and took the change. Immediately he was confronted with their conversation and overwhelmed with their confusion for the sudden patrol change.

"_Jake!" _Seth greeted. "_What's happening?" _

"_I'm just about to go over the conversation that we had with Sam with Edward and…" _He paused, internally sighing. "_Hermione's here."_

"_What?" _Seth gaped.

"_Yeah. She somehow managed to make her way over here and now she's in this nightmare with us."_

"_At least she has Paul," _Seth chattered and Jacob sensed Leah's huff more than he heard it. Seth seemed to as well since he swiftly dropped the conversation. "_Right, we'll carry on patrolling. You get back to talking to Edward and we'll just act like we aren't here." _He chuckled awkwardly.

"_Good plan," _Leah muttered but both male wolves chose to ignore her.

"We good to discuss what brought you here now?" Edward asked and Jacob turned to the telepath to find both muscle man and the cowboy standing next to him.

"_Yeah," _he confirmed. In his peripheral vision, he saw Hermione and Paul walking towards the quartet, their arms looped together and neither showing any discomfort or embarrassment with Paul's nudity. It showed how Hermione had really grown in confidence over the months. "_Things got bad. You're lucky that we broke off and disagreed otherwise we'd be in a full blown war on our hands."_

"A war?" Edward questioned, crossing his arms and leaning against the house wall with disbelief.

"He'd do that?" Emmett asked, exchanging a look with Jasper. "I'm not scared." He flexed his muscles for effect and Jacob scoffed though only Edward heard.

"Of course he'd do that," Edward replied. "It's the same thing we'd do if they brought in something potentially dangerous to us. We'd protect our family. At least Bella would be safe."

Jacob sat down abruptly, his mind filling with the conversation from earlier. Abomination. Destroy it. The whole shabam.

"They want to kill Bella?" he snarled, Jasper and Emmett jumping to attention at his words. They both growled softly, almost hesitantly as they were unsure of the full conversation but Edward appeased them quickly. "These guys broke off from the Pack; they disagreed with what Sam wanted to do."

"What did he want to do?" Hermione asked quietly, having gotten closer to the group so that she could hear them clearly. Jacob almost jumped in shock, forgetting that she could be quiet if she wanted to.

"He wanted a slaughter."

**Shorter but hey ho. We've almost made 300 favourites and 400 reviews: any chance a girl could ask for those targets to be reached? I'll flatter my eyelashes.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Obviously for this, Leah arrived earlier than in the books and Carlisle and Esme never left so they weren't separated.**

"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed, turning into Paul's embrace as he rubbed a hand down her back. She could handle it, she'd handled worse, but this was so close to home.

"What's going on?" Alice asked, appearing at Hermione's shoulder and barely even scrunching her nose in disgust at the smell of the wolves. "Jacob, can you change and tell me, please?" He shook his head, fur flopping over his face and Alice tried to hide her annoyance. "Why not?"

"He has to stay in contact with Seth and Leah," Paul answered. She turned to look at him and Hermione was extremely thankful that he'd pulled on the pair of jeans that Jacob had kicked off. "A howl could mean multiple things: a confrontation with the other Pack, a heated argument between the siblings or a wild creature thinking they can take us on."

"That happens?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised. He shrugged.

"Rarely but there is always that one cocky mountain lion that things he can run the show."

"Anyway," Edward interrupted, "the long story short is that the Pack think Bella's become a problem. They foresee potential danger from the… from what she's carrying. They feel it's their duty to remove that danger. Jacob and Paul were the first to disband from the Pack and came to warn us, Leah and Seth followed shortly afterwards."

"Where are they?" the vampire asked.

"Out, patrolling," Paul told her. "If we go out there, assert our new territory then they know that we're here and ready to protect you guys. They'll also know that if they pick up our scent then we are more than likely to pick up theirs as well and be able to alert you."

"Awesome!" Emmett exclaimed. "We have our own guard dogs." Jacob growled at him in annoyance but Paul only chuckled, causing the wolf to stare at him in disbelief.

"_I told you, they aren't so bad," _Seth offered as the conversation Jacob was experiencing was shared between their link. "_Even Paul thinks so."_

"_It's ridiculous!" _Jacob growled. "_He was Mr. Anger when Bella arrives and now he's Mr. Let's-Laugh-At-The-Leech's-Jokes." _Edward snorted in amusement at Jacob's thought and he turned a glare onto him. The mind-reader drew confused looks but he shook his head, indicating it didn't matter and he wasn't going to share.

"_All's clear on the western front," _Seth offered, distracting Jacob from the conversation that they were having right next to him.

"_They might loop around," _he replied.

"_Meet you in the middle," _Leah told him. "_Beat you there." _Jacob rolled his eyes at the siblings and returned back to the current conversation.

"I can set up wards," Hermione was saying. "It'll give them a bit of a reprieve and allow them to rest. I'll know when anything supernatural passes it and if they're intention is to cause harm, they won't get through it."

"Sounds good but what if they find a way around it?" Jasper asked, his posture tense and stiff, resembling those who'd experienced war. Hermione was standing the same too.

"There isn't a way around it," Hermione confirmed. "It's impossible."

"Nothing's impossible," Jasper countered.

"Getting around my wards is," Hermione snarled, her voice taking a defensive tone and a frown plastered on her face. "I trust them with my life."

"You may trust them but I'm not willing to trust them on my family's lives," Jasper admitted. "Magic is never foolproof."

"It depends on the spell and the caster and you fucking know it!" By now, everyone was standing there, watching the pair like it was a tennis match, their heads switching between each angry contestant. Paul's face was furious and it was apparent that he wanted to shout out and protect her but Hermione's hand on him was the only thing preventing him from getting involved. Yet another sign that he'd changed since imprinting.

"Hermione, I mean no offense," Jasper placated, seeing the sparks from her hair and the fire in her eyes which could mean that an anger-magic outburst was going to occur any moment. "But what if situations change?"

"Such as?" Her fists and jaws were clenched, a clear indication that she wanted to beat the shit out of the leech but was holding herself back.

"What if they come to us to talk? Speak to Jacob and Paul and the others to try and get them back home but they refuse. An argue starts up and for some reason, the others decide they want to attack. They're through the wards and they hadn't had the intention of starting a fight."

Hermione's jaw was dropped and she glared at the vampire before tugging on her hair in frustration. "Really? That's your reasoning? Do you take me for a fucking idiot?" He gaped and tried to backpedal, much to the amusement of everyone else. "I survived a bloody war where everyone on the opposing side wanted me dead because I existed and you think that I couldn't consider someone having a change of heart?"

"Errr- yeah?"

"Urgh!" she screeched through gritted teeth. Paul rubbed her shoulders to calm her down which worked; she rubbed the bridge of her nose with her eyes shut and sighed. "If someone was to get through and change their minds about harming us, they immediately get stunned and are unconscious for the following three hours."

Jasper was silent for a few moments, staring at the calming witch. "Oh," he spoke at last and she chuckled, rubbing her forehead.

"Yeah. Oh."

"Sorry," he apologised. "I had to be sure." She waved him away and leaned back into Paul's embrace. "Go to your room, get some sleep. I'll make you an apology breakfast in the morning."

"No, thank you," she declined, laughing freely. "I've already been warned about your cooking. After all these years with nothing to do and you still can't perfect the art of food making."

"Oi!" The small group laughed and Hermione released a small yawn. "Go to sleep."

"I will," she agreed, starting to walk up the steps and to the doorway of the house. She turned around when she realised she was alone. "Paul, you coming?" He looked at Jacob who nodded and the two disappeared into the house, Hermione's giggling being the only sound left behind. They followed their progress with their ears to her room which was suddenly silenced and they all rolled their eyes.

"At least we can't hear them having sex," Alice mused. "I mean, we all know they're having it but it makes all the difference."

"Just gives us something to tease them about in the morning," Emmett suggested, rubbing his hands together in delight.

"_It won't bother them," _Jacob muttered which Edward translated for them. "_They're too in love to care. They even tease each other about these things. Anyway, I'm going to cover for Seth. The kid did morning patrol this morning."_

"Come back in the morning," Edward told him. "We'll get you some food and you can eat whilst we go over some things and then you can sleep."

"_Sure thing," _Jacob promised before bounding away and relieving Seth.

* * *

When Hermione woke up the following morning, it was to an empty bed and room; Paul had left during the time that she was asleep and she couldn't hear him downstairs. It didn't mean he wasn't there but with the amount of vampires and his temperament, it was a surprise that he was so quiet.

With a sigh she threw the duvet off of her and shuffled around the room, grabbing some clean clothes and pulling them on before throwing her hair in a ponytail and making her way downstairs.

"Good morning," Alice greeted, a large plate of steaming food in her hands a grin on her face. Hermione instantly filled with dread and eyed the room's occupants. "I made you breakfast on behalf of Jasper." Said vampire had appeared at Hermione's elbow and she felt him trying to calm her down. It wouldn't do for her to be on alert too much and accidentally smash something.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing's happened," Alice denied; if Hermione hadn't had to experience Order members constantly trying to keep her away from information and have to deal with Death Eaters and Harry Potter then she would've taken the lie for face value. But she had dealt with all of the above and it didn't matter how smoothly Alice lied, Hermione saw straight through it.

"I take it bad, don't I?" she asked, nabbing some bacon from the plate that Alice was still offering and chewing on it thoughtfully. "Whatever has happened - and don't deny that something hasn't - whatever it is, I take it bad."

"Why don't you eat something, dear?" Esme asked politely, motioning to the table that they were sat around; every vampire was present bar Rosalie and Carlisle though Edward was in the doorway looking tense. "You need to eat."

"Edward," Hermione started. "What happened?"

"Don't worry about it at the moment," he told her. "Eat."

"I can't believe that after decades of being able to lie, you still can't dodge an issue without it being suspicious. For Merlin's sake, Alice! You can see the future, couldn't you see how I'd instantly know if you all coddled me like this?"

She shifted on her feet, the only sign that things weren't okay with the vampire. "I can't always see you," she confessed as if it was a big secret. "I knew that you reacted bad but I couldn't see if we managed to prevent it completely."

"Well, you haven't," Hermione told her. "Has something happened to Bella? Has she got worse?"

"Well, she hasn't got better," Emmett spoke, taking the lead as he noted everyone's discomfort. "She's asked to see you, if you want."

Hermione paused, looking at them all before walking past them all - ignoring the breakfast that Alice was still trying to shove in her hands - and walked into the room. It looked nothing like it did when she went to bed; the furniture had been shoved out of the way and her cousin was curled up feebly on a narrow hospital bed which was placed in the centre of the room. The room was starting to resemble a hospital room, with monitors strapped to her and the lights flashing. There was also an IV which was emitting a constant dripping sound which would be enough to drive her insane; she didn't know how any of those with super hearing could stand it.

Rosalie was fussing with her as she choked uneasily on air and Carlisle stood to the side, looking at some of the monitors with an uneasy face.

"Bells," Hermione greeted. "I hear you're causing trouble." It was a weak attempt at lightening the atmosphere but ever since they'd been children, apologising had been difficult between the pair.

"You know me, Hermione," she replied. "I just can't help myself." Hermione smiled weakly, thinking back on all the times that she would get in trouble over menial things. "Don't look at me like that."

Hermione blinked, focusing herself from her thoughts and onto her cousin. "Hmm?"

"Don't look at me like I'm going to die any second." Hermione clenched her jaw and stuffed her fists into her jean pockets, not even bothering to smile in return. "Oh come on, lighten up." The moment she finished speaking, she was wracked with a coughing fit that had her crowded by a fussing Rosalie and Edward whilst Carlisle carried on checking the monitors and inspecting the IV.

Hermione took one last look before whirling and storming out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Alice asked quietly, walking up the stairs behind her.

"To find some way to help."

**I do believe that next chapter is the first plot twist. I hate to think about how many of you will give me grief. **


	35. Chapter 35

**We're nearly at 400 reviews!**

Edward stared at Alice in shock as her vision finished and she grimaced along with him. "We have to stop it!"

"I can't see any way of doing it," she hissed quietly even though Bella was asleep, Hermione was upstairs and all the wolves were out on patrol. "Every different route or decision change ends the same! There's only one way we can stop it and that's by getting her out of here."

"What are you on about?" Emmett asked, shuffling closer so he felt more included in the conversation. "What have you seen?"

Alice sighed. "If Hermione stays here, then I don't _see _her anymore."

"But, you see her sporadically anyway," Emmett tried.

"Yes, that's true, but I can still sense her. Like watching a video online during the middle of a storm. Your satellite is battered and you're barely getting anything through but you know it's there. If she stays, it's blank."

* * *

"How long has she been up there?" Seth asked curiously, munching his food with little enthusiasm. He watched as the vampires exchanged uneasy glances and he chewed a mouthful of sausage which he couldn't taste. This whole thing was wacky.

"Too long," Esme confessed sadly, offering the young shifter some food which he took happily. "None of us have managed to persuade her to come down and I refuse to allow my children to bring her down against her will."

"Wise," Seth commented. "She'd only retaliate and then take herself back up."

Emmett nodded and flicked through the TV, looking for a decent channel. "Which was why we were hoping you'd be able to knock some sense in her or get Paul over and help."

"I'll see what I can do," Seth offered. "Paul's doing patrols and he needs to be there for the next hour or two to get himself familiar with the route." He finished his slice of toast and leaned forward to put the plate on the table in front of him, careful not to spill any of the baked beans' sauce onto it. Once standing, he dusted his hands off on his jeans and winced apologetically at the crumbs that fell to the floor but nobody scolded him for it so they clearly didn't care.

"Whatever she says to you," Jasper warned. "Don't take to heart. She's being spiteful to everyone." Seth nodded, heeding the warning before making his way upstairs to Hermione's room. His palms were sweaty and his heart was racing and it was obvious to everyone that he was scared of confronting her. Could you blame him? She was fucking terrifying when she wanted to be!

"Hermione?" he called, knocking on the closed wooden door. "Can I come in?" She didn't answer and so he fiddled with the door handle, exhaling when the door opened without anything hitting him in the face. "'Mione?"

He practically tiptoed into the room, edging around the door since it wouldn't open fully. Her room was a mess; her bed had the most random objects sprawled across it as if she'd tipped them all out of a bag or box: a cauldron, glass vials, a tent bag and clothes with other things that he couldn't see or name. Her desk held stacks of books that were shoved to the back and to the side to make space for the few plates and glasses that had been brought up to her. All of them were full or untouched.

The witch in question was sitting cross-legged on the floor, numerous books scattered around her, open for her to read. To her left was a large roll of parchment with a quill and a pot of ink which, judging by her fingers and the writing already down, was what she was using to take notes.

"Hermione," he stammered. "You need to take a break." She didn't even look at him as she flicked through a couple more pages of one book before turning to another. "Hermione, you can't ignore me, this, everyone. You need to look after yourself otherwise you can't help Bella."

"Piss off, Seth," she spat.

He sighed and sat down with her, on the other side of her book circle so as to not disturb the peace. They both sat their in silence; him watching her work whilst she ignored him. Her stomach rumbled but she carried on as if she hadn't heard it and he gaped at her in disbelief.

"Fuck this," he mumbled and quickly stood behind her to shake off his clothes before stepping a respectable distance away - thank fuck for large bedrooms - and changed into his wolf. He watched as she stilled, her hand halfway between two books. She'd heard the rip and knew what he'd done.

"Going to drag me out, Seth?" she asked and he huffed at her, stepping back around her so he sat in his original spot. When she carried on, turning a few pages in one of the books, he flicked one shut with his paw and lifted it gently with his teeth. Then, he waited. He didn't have to wait long for her to turn back to the book he'd taken and see that it wasn't there anymore. "Wha-?" She looked at him, her face hard and glaring. "Give it back." He shook his head and shuffled back when she made a move to snatch it from him. "Seth!" she scolded.

He turned, slithering through the exit before running down the stairs. He saw Emmett and Jasper standing in the closest room, staring at him in shock and he felt some pride that he'd made them look like that. Then he heard the crashing and cursing behind him and his eyes widened with fear.

"_Oh shit," _he cursed. Edward, who was coming out of another room to see him, smirked.

"What was your plan?"

"_I didn't have one," _he answered truthfully, dashing past to go through the doorway and find the nearest exit. He heard Rosalie mutter something about mangy mutts and Esme's concern over him breaking things but he heard more than anything, Hermione's fury.

"_Terrifying, isn't it?" _Jacob offered and Seth agreed, wholeheartedly, ignoring Paul's chuckles of amusement that were aimed in his direction. "_Does she have her wand? If so, you're fucked."_

"_I can't look back!" _Seth cried. "_If I do, I'll connect eyes with her and she'll scold me like Emily does when I steal some of the cookie dough before she's managed to make all her batches! They have the same fire!" _

"_You know what I suggest?" _Paul suggested. "_Run."_

"_I am running! Who knew stealing her book would get her so angry."_

"_I could've told you that," _Leah told him. "_Though, I will admit, it's nice to see her out of the house."_

"_You actually got her out? Without touching her?" _both Paul and Jacob gasped. "_You, are getting off of patrols for the rest of the day, hero."_

Seth didn't get to reply as he tripped over nothing, the book dropping from his jaw as he rolled to a standstill. He could hear the guffaws both in his head and around him but he didn't care because Hermione was one of them.

"Don't steal my book," she warned him, waving her wand around menacingly.

"_Eat something and then maybe I won't," _he countered, thankful for Edward who translated. She gave him a look, her curls a mess around her face and her cheeks slightly rosy from having to run.

"Fine," she conceded. "I'll snack on a sandwich."

* * *

"What have you found so far?" Carlisle asked Hermione once she'd eaten her sandwich - and a small cake, a few biscuits and an orange - and returned to her room.

"I've found out loads," she told him honestly. "Just nothing that will fucking help!" She threw the book she was holding against the wall, watching as it bounced off of it and smashed the vase that was resting on the bedside table. "I've found out the usual stuff about vampires and everything there is to be known about human pregnancy. There is not one mention of a vampire-human hybrid. How is that fucking possible?"

"Hermione-"

"No! I can't do anything to help my cousin with magic and even the one thing I'm good at - research - has pulled up short. I've even spoken to people in England and they have no clue!"

"Hermione-" Carlisle tried again.

"My potions won't work and neither will any charms that I use because they'll only work directly on Bella and the baby has more influence than we think!" She ran her hands through her hair and cradled her skull. "The potions that I'd be able to use, I can't because they react badly to vampires and the baby is half one so it might just kill them both."

"Hermione, stop!" Carlisle ordered. She paused in her motions and looked at him desperately. "Go and sit with Bella, it will calm you down."

"How will looking at someone I can't help make me calmer?" she growled.

"It's Bella," he merely said, shrugging at her though he didn't take his amber eyes off of her. "Go." She studied him for a moment longer, the same as he did to her, but he didn't back down and she sighed, nodding her head weakly before trudging out of the room. She stopped to pick up a book but he raised an eyebrow at her and she left it where it was.

* * *

"Hey Bells," Hermione whispered, crouching next to her sleeping cousin. Her face was clenched with discomfort in her sleep and it made Hermione's heart hurt, filling her gut with the feeling of failure. "I'm trying to help you, I really am. But I'm struggling and I can't bear seeing you hurt, but don't worry. I'll think of something," she promised, leaning forward and pressing a light kiss to her forehead. "I love you."

* * *

"How long has she been there?" Bella asked Rosalie as the vampire brushed her hair. "She looks peaceful."

"About five hours," Rosalie answered. "She came down not long after you had your afternoon nap. Then she settled in that seat to watch you and fell asleep."

"I've been awake for two hours and she hasn't moved once."

"She's driving herself to the brink of exhaustion trying to find something to do to help you. You saw and heard how Seth had to get her out for some air. Drastic measures are the only things that work."

"And Carlisle's all knowing look."

"And that," Rose chuckled.

* * *

"Hermione, wake up," Rosalie murmured as she gently shook the witch awake. "I need you to sit with Bella whilst I go with Edward to speak to Carlisle."

"Mm, is everything okay?" she mumbled around a yawn, rubbing her eyes to try and wake up quicker.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "He just needs to ask him a question and wants me to be there with him." They both exchanged a look for how peculiar it was but complied with his wishes anyway. Rosalie flitted away with a burst of wind and Hermione's eyes narrowed in on her cousin. "How long have you been awake?"

"A few hours now," she grinned. "I didn't realise sleeping beauty could be woken with a shoulder shake; I was considering calling Paul to give you a kiss."

"Sweetie," Hermione pointed at her. "Never let me stop you from calling Paul to give me a kiss." The pair chuckled, only stopping when Bella coughed and clutched at her ribs uncomfortably. "Sorry."

"Isn't your fault, and you know it," she told her, rubbing her ribs and breathing shakily. She tried to reach for her glass of water but Hermione dashed over from her seat and helped her sip at it, smiling softly as she did so. Once she finished drinking, without looking any better for it, she laid back down and allowed Hermione to smooth the sheets around her.

That's how the small group of three vampires and one wolf entered the room, instantly worrying Hermione with how grim Jacob looked. "What's going on?" she demanded, rising from her crouched position.

"Jacob had an idea that might help Bella," Carlisle answered. Jacob grimaced, not wanting to claim responsibility for the idea at all. "It won't be… pleasant, but-"

"But it will help the baby," Rosalie interrupted eagerly. "We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe."

"Not pleasant? Gosh, that'll be such a change." She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed. Rosalie laughed with her whilst Hermione backed away, her eyes wide as her mind raced. Jacob and Edward both noticed the moment she triggered; her face pale and her hand covering her mouth as if she was going to be sick. She kept silent, however, which Jacob pegged to her previous dramatic fallout when she found out about the pregnancy. Edward nodded subtly in his line of vision and Jacob realised that the idea of this was affecting her so much that she'd dropped her guard.

"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous, repulsive," Edward told his wife, walking closer to her whilst Hermione backed away, her hands shaking. Jacob walked closer to her, offering her silent comfort whilst they spoke to Bella about the blood drinking.

It wasn't until Bella declared that drinking the blood now would be good practice for the future did he notice that he'd missed half of the conversation and that Hermione was shaking really bad, her whole body quivering. It was similar but he couldn't place where he'd first seen it, his mind focusing more on Bella than Hermione.

"Hermione?" Carlisle breathed beside him, worry coating his voice. "Are you okay?" She didn't answer and Jacob looked at her, looking to see Jasper whose face was straining beside her too.

"If the fetus is craving blood," Edward explained, "it's not craving animal blood."

"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it," Rosalie encouraged.

Bella's eyes widened. "Who?" she breathed and her eyes flickered to Hermione. Said witch drew everyone's attention when her breath caught in her throat and Jasper groaned.

"Get her out of here," he warned, ordered, demanded. "Now!"

Jacob was extremely thankful for Emmett who grabbed the witch and, in a blur, took her outside. Just in time for the sound of clothes ripping to fill the air.

**Here we go...**


	36. Chapter 36

**I don't know how many of you actually registered the plot twist at the end, so this... this could come as a fucking huge surprise.**

"No fucking way," Jacob breathed, shoving his way out of the room and the building so that he stood outside the house next to Emmett. "Look at me, right here, and calm down. Hey, hey, it's okay."

The small brown wolf that stood in front of him was panicking, her legs shaking as she stood uncertainly on them. At the sound of his voice, her head picked up and she looked at him; he could see the panic and shock, confusion and worry in her eyes. He didn't know how to get rid of it because he'd never had to fucking do this before!

"Hermione, calm down," he told her.

She yipped at him in response and he quickly stepped away from Emmett before changing into his own form. "_Hermione, you need to cool it."_

"_What the fuck? What the fuck? Jacob, what the fuck?" _she repeated like it was a mantra. The pair ignored the exclamations of shock at their new Pack member. "_Jacob, why can I hear you in my head? I can hear all of them! Why? And what the fuck is that smell?" _

"_Hermione, stop it! Calm down."_

"_Calm down?" _she barked hysterically. "_How the fuck can I calm down when I'm like this? I'm not supposed to be like this!" _

"_I said, calm down," _he ordered, allowing the Alpha to creep in so that she had no choice but to comply. He watched the wolf in front of him calm, her breathing evening out and her shaking legs stopping. "_I don't know how this is possible, but we're going to keep a cool head and talk about this. Okay?"_

"_Okay," _she confirmed.

"_Paul, come here," _Jacob ordered. "_Wards haven't been put up yet so you two keep going until Hermione's back to herself." _

"_I'm right here," _she snarked but a low growl from him had her quietening. "_What have I gotten myself into?" _

The two wolves sat silent, waiting patiently - or impatiently - for Paul to arrive. Emmett and Jasper stood close, as if on guard but clearly concerned for what was going on. Rosalie, Carlisle and Edward were still indoors with Bella but Alice and Esme were standing outside, a distance away.

The sounds of a wolf coming nearer had Hermione's ears twitching - which was a curious feeling - and she turned her head to greet him. The silver wolf slowed down to a walk and Hermione's jaw dropped, her eyes narrowing in on him.

"_Oh for fuck's sake," _Jacob groaned as he had to watch Hermione's whole world just narrow in on his friend. "_It's bad enough hearing about it but actually seeing it? Come on."_

"_I thought they'd imprinted already," _Seth complained and it pleased Jacob greatly to know he wasn't the only one stuck with this.

"_No, Paul had imprinted on Hermione but now, since she just changed, she gets to go through the whole imprint process herself. It's sickening," _he confessed as he watched the small brown wolf rush over to the larger silver one on shaky legs. Once the two met, they immediately nuzzled each other and forced their scents onto each other's fur. "_But they're happy."_

* * *

"_All you need do is think about transforming back and you'll do it," _Jacob exclaimed in exasperation. He glared at the small wolf in front of him who merely ignored him and nuzzled closer to Paul. "_Fucking hell, Hermione! It's not that hard."_

"_I understand the concept perfectly fine," _she replied with a tone that hinted to her frustration and to be honest, he couldn't blame her. It wasn't often that you found out you had the ability to turn into a wolf and talk to your boyfriend and friends via your mind all whist your cousin was inside a vampire's home and drinking human blood for a hybrid baby whilst human herself. "_You rounded that up pretty well," _she mused and he huffed at her.

"_Why won't you just change back?" _

"_Because I don't really want you to see me naked. My clothes were torn to shreds when I changed and I know what that means for me when I transform back."_

She didn't know it was possible for a wolf to look bashful but Jacob and, after a threatening growl from Paul, he scampered off closer to the vampires so that he could change and get her some fresh clothes sent out whilst also checking on Bella.

* * *

"How is she?" Alice asked, a pile of clothes held in her hands as she offered them to Jacob when he grew nearer.

"She's fine," he answered, aware that though he was speaking to her directly, everyone was listening and waiting for the answer to her question. "She's freaked out, which is understandable really and she's just imprinted on Paul so now she's dealing with those feelings too. She'll be back to normal in a bit."

Alice nodded, as if reassuring herself that Hermione really was okay.

"That explains your blank vision," Emmett said, relieved. Jacob frowned in confusion, not understanding the statement. "Alice couldn't see Hermione anymore, we figured that something bad happened to her and so we'd been trying to get her to leave on the down low."

"Bad as in…?" Emmett and Alice nodded and Jacob took a breath. "Well, out of the two, I'm glad it's this version."

"As are we."

* * *

"_Once you're changed, we can get you something to eat and check up on Bella, okay?" _Paul told her, his wolf looking down at the smaller wolf with a comforting look.

"_No!" _she rejected. "_I have so many things that I need to do and I can tick them off quicker if we start now." _Paul looked dubious but she padded over and licked the underside of his jaw, nuzzling into him. She heard and felt him sigh.

"_What sort of things?"_

"_Well, I need to set up wards but I need to know where our area limit is and the only way for me to do that is to do a patrol with you." _He frowned but didn't say no. He didn't say yes either but she didn't need his permission. "_After that's done, I need to speak to some guys from England, try and find more out about Bella, see if I can get a hold of some blood pops and speak to Remus about me."_

He sobered up at her last statement. "_Why do you think this happened?"_

"_I have no idea but I really should've seen it coming," _she admitted, chuckling without humour at herself. He cocked his head to the side, his ears flopping and it made him look absolutely adorable. "_I had a magic ache, ages ago. It's when a big change occurs and your magic adjusts. When your soul binds itself to someone else or when your genetic material changes. I had a really long one occur and it was like a combination of genetic change and soul meshing. That should've been my first clue."_

"_Nobody could've seen this coming," _he told her, nuzzling her this time for comfort. "_You've been dealt this hand and now it's time to play with it."_

**Short but I felt it was a good place to end. Don't want to overwhelm you all. **


	37. Chapter 37

**I've been distracted. It's extremely short because I lost my notes. **

"Where's Hermione?" Bella asked curiously, sipping at her cup of blood. "I didn't mean to imply I'd be drinking her blood."

"That wasn't the problem," Edward told her, brushing the hair off of her face. "Hermione just got a bit emotional with you having to drink blood."

"Then why did Jacob rush out after her? And what was that ripping sound?" Edward stifled a sigh, wishing that she'd file away her curiosity for a later time.

"There's more to Hermione than we originally thought and that is all I'm saying at the moment." Edward kissed her on the forehead. "Just know that she's okay."

* * *

"_Why am I so small?" _Hermione asked curiously, staring at Paul's large, slightly intimidating form before looking down at her own, smaller and less intimidating one. "_I look like a fluffy puppy compared to you." _She ignored Leah's barking laugh.

"_You don't look like a puppy," _Paul argued.

"_She does," _Leah piped up and Hermione huffed, glaring at her imprint as if to say 'told you'.

"_Shut up, Leah," _Paul hissed. "_Look, sweetie, how can Leah claim that you look like a puppy when she hasn't seen you?" _He gave her a smug, wolfish grin but Hermione's expression didn't change. Leah kept quiet. "_I think it's good that you're small. It means that when we're under attack, you won't be perceived as a threat and will be kept safe from harm."_

"_Are you seriously telling me that being small is good because then you can lock me up, away from danger?"_

"_I never said that," _Paul defended. Leah sighed, fed up with the conversation but unable to avoid it.

"_With you being underestimated, it makes you our secret weapon. It also helps that the Pack have no clue that you've changed, thinking you're in England, and so, when they attack and possibly hurt you-" _Paul growled but was ignored. "_-then you'll have them guilty for weeks on end and can get them to do basically everything for you."_

"_Let's hope it doesn't get to that point," _Seth said with both Paul and Hermione agreeing full-heartedly.

* * *

"I'm naked," Hermione commented blankly, looking down at herself curiously. "And I look the same. Exactly the same."

"Is that a problem?" Paul asked, tilting his head as he got a better look at all of her. She was ignoring his suggestive looks and so he was trying to smother his lust for another time. "You still look beautiful."

"But you all look like you took steroids on a daily basis. Even Leah is more muscled! Me? I'm just still my puny, short-ass self."

"I like your puny, short-ass."

"You're the most biased person in the world when it comes to me."

"Doesn't mean it's not true."

* * *

"How long is this going to to take?" Paul whined, leaning against a nearby tree and pouting. Hermione ignored him, just like she'd been doing for the past twenty minutes. "Fine. Ignore me, but you're sure this is going to work?"

"Yes, Paul," she grumbled. "And we'll even prove that it works once I've finished."

He was silent for a moment and it gave her a moment of peace.

"Do you want to go back to England?" He watched her movements still and her back stiffen.

"I'm not leaving you," she snapped. She glared at him over her shoulder. "How could you even think that? Unless this is about me leaving here so I'm safer because I have only one thing to say to that as well: Fuck you."

"I didn't ask for either of those reasons," he told her and she sensed the honesty in his voice. "You wanted to find out why you're like that. Remus seems to know a lot about wolves, both werewolves and shifters, I just figured that if you spoke to him, he'd have a probable explanation."

She sighed and her movements seemed softer than before as she carried on warding the Cullens' area.

"I'd love to know why this happened but it isn't important at the moment. Bella and the Pack and the baby are what's important and until this is all resolved, I'm staying. Okay?"

He nodded, and then realised that she couldn't see. "Yeah, okay."

* * *

"She's avoiding me, isn't she?" Bella asked Seth as she slurped at a cup of blood. "I don't even know what happened to her because nobody will tell me! Does she at least know that I didn't want to drink her blood?"

"Yeah, she knows," Seth confirmed. "She just doesn't like that you've been put in this situation."

"Nobody here likes that I've been put in this situation," she pouted, cradling her large stomach as if she could physically protect the baby from any harm. "That's why you're all here, isn't it?"

"No," Seth argued. "We came to protect you. Sam wanted you gone, we didn't agree. Your leeches are here because they love you and though they fear about what the baby is doing to you - because, let's be honest, having a vampire baby in a human stomach isn't ideal - they still stuck around to protect you. Hermione's here to protect you."

"Once I've changed, I won't need to be protected anymore," she stated petulantly. "I'll be the strongest out of everyone."

"Ten bucks says Hermione can take you."

* * *

"She's cute," Emmett stated the moment he saw the happy little wolf totter up to the house. "I always wanted a puppy." He bent down so he was closer to her height and clicked his tongue, offering his hand as he would if she was a normal dog. She growled at him and lunged to take off his hand but he laughed and dodged her, ruffling the fur on her head when she drew near.

"Oh dear," Jacob mumbled. "She doesn't like it when you mess up the fur."

"Oh come on!" Emmett exclaimed with disappointment. "She didn't like it when I messed up her hair and now she doesn't like this? Hermione, you got to give me something to work with."

She lunged at him again.

**Just wanted to say that I thank you all for sticking around. The forum I'm on is having so many events and I'm just trying to get as many points down as possible to take a lead ;) I've got the beginning of a plan for this again and another short Paul/Hermione one which I'm loving! I'll let you know when it's posted.**


	38. Chapter 38

"You're avoiding me," were the first words out of Bella's mouth when Hermione walked into the room. She hadn't even had time to let the light adjust to her eyes. "Everyone knows what's happening but me."

"You're pregnant," Hermione answered, sitting down on the nearest chair with a plop and sighing as she relaxed into the cushions. "We're trying not to stress you out."

"Hermione, I'm more stressed worrying about what's going on with you than anything. Once you tell me, I'm sure it won't seem as bad."

Hermione puffed out a breath, running her hands through her hair. "I phased," she confessed eventually.

"What phase?" Bella asked, running her hands across her stomach.

"No, not a phase. I phased. As in, huge furry wolf." Bella blinked at her. "Although, I'm not as big as them guys. I'm like an average wolf size and put me next to Paul and Jacob, and I look like a fucking puppy." She scowled.

"I don't believe you," Bella breathed and Hermione stared at her, shocked.

"Excuse me?" she questioned. "Did I hear that right? Bella Swan, the women married to a vampire, pregnant with a vampire-human hybrid, cousins to a witch and best friends with a shifter can't believe that I turn into a wolf too?"

"Why would you?" she asked ,defiantly. "You don't have the gene."

Hermione paused, thinking her words over.

"Unless I did," she responded. Bella's furrowed brow showed that she didn't understand. "What if I did have the gene? Obviously it doesn't come from the Swan side of things because you'd be a wolf too which means it either comes from my Dad or-" Hermione paused, not really wanting to finish the sentence.

"Or your Mum had an affair," Bella finished and Hermione scrunched her eyes up in pain. The thought of her happy, loving parent doing that was too much to bear.

"Yeah," she muttered. "Or that."

The two cousins were silent for a while, both comforted by each other's presence and not having the urge to fill the silence with words.

"Can I see?" Bella asked quietly, fiddling with a loose thread on the blanket that was thrown across her legs. Hermione looked up from where she was dozing. "Can I see the new you?"

Hermione smiled and nodded and stood up to start kicking off the trousers and chuckling when Bella quickly covered her eyes so that she could disrobe completely. Bella heard the tell-tale sound and opened her eyes slowly, looking at the wolf that sat before her. Smaller than the others but with the gleam in her eyes, no less deadly.

"You're incredible," she murmured, eyes wide with awe. "You're prettier than all the other wolves."

The wolf made a deep rumbling sound that would've resembled laughter if Hermione had been human and Bella guessed that whoever was hearing their conversation, wasn't reacting too well to being shoved to the side in the looks department. Paul, probably.

* * *

"Carlisle," Hermione greeted, standing in the doorway of his study where he was looking at some paperwork. He looked up, acting as if he didn't know she'd been walking towards him and had been standing there for the past five minutes gaining courage for this conversation, and smiled encouragingly. "Would you be able to do me a favour?"

"Of course, Hermione," he agreed, placing the folder on the desk and turning the chair he was sat in to face her, giving her all of his attention. "What can I do for you?"

"What has happened to me in the past few hours, is not normal," she started and internally he agreed, but he wasn't about to voice it. "So there has to be an explanation. Someone doesn't just turn into a wolf out of the blue."

"What about animagus?" he asked curiously. "I'm aware that a wizard or witch has the ability to turn into an animal if they so desired."

"We can," she nodded. "But that takes months, if not years, of preparation and even then, not everyone is able to do it." She walked into the room more and shut the door behind her, waving her wand and casting a silent spell. By the relaxing change in her posture, no matter how slight, he felt that clearly she'd just guaranteed their privacy for the oncoming conversation. "I have to have the gene."

"Is any of your family Quileute?"

She shook her head. "That's why I'm being quiet about it." She took a deep breath before exhaling. "Bella and I have discussed it, as I'm sure you heard, and we have come to two possible answers."

"But one of them isn't likely, the one you'd prefer to be true and so you've come to me to have the second one tested whilst you pray that it isn't true," Carlisle surmised, leaning back in his chair when she nodded her agreement.

"Affairs are tricky things and there are reasons why they're kept secret; are you sure you want to dig?"

"My parents aren't coming back," Hermione argued. "If I have some family out there, even if it means I'm related to someone from the Pack, then I'd rather now. I'd want to get to know them and see if they'd want me."

"What if it's someone you knew and you feel betrayed by their actions?"

"Then I'll deal with that hurdle when I come to it."

* * *

"So, I hear you're going to do a demonstation on the wards," Rosalie said, filling in the silence as the two were sitting with a sleeping Bella. "I'd love to be there but I need to stay with Bella."

"Why's Edward going then? Surely he'd want to stay with her unless something happens."

"He needs to know that they work and she's protected," Rosalie responded. "He'd have a weight taken off his shoulders if he knew that there was that extra layer of protection for her."

"It isn't just for her," Hermione replied. "It's for all of our family."

"Our family?" Rosalie asked, eyebrow quirked.

"Of course," Hermione nodded. "That's my cousin," she motioned to the sleeping human. "And last time I checked, she married into your family which makes us in-laws."

Rosalie smiled but didn't respond.

"Say," Hermione said. "Would you be willing to help me out with the demonstration?"

"I can't leave her, you know that."

"It wouldn't be you that I'd be using."

* * *

"Okay, so we're here for a reason," Hermione spoke, looking at the odd collection of shifters and vampires that had gathered. Carlisle had chosen to stay behind with Rosalie to ensure Bella's health whilst Leah had chosen to carry on patrolling the perimeter so that she didn't stick around with the 'leeches'. Jasper and Edward had come to check that it worked and that their family wasn't in danger whilst Alice and Esme had tagged along because they couldn't carry on sitting around and watch Bella as she was. Emmett had came because he was bored.

Seth was sat next to a rock, in his wolf form, so that he was quick to make an exit if the need arose whilst also maintaining contact with Leah in case of emergencies. Jacob was there to watch and ensure it worked for all of their protection whilst Paul wasn't going to leave her alone with a bunch of vampires.

"We're going to prove how amazing I am and so you can all relax a bit." She sent a smirk to the group and watched as they smiled tensely. That would all change after this.

"Paul, do me a favour?"

"Of course, babe," he responded, jumping to his feet and standing awfully close to her. She stifled an eye roll, knowing that it was more of the wolf acting up than him. She couldn't blame him when she was feeling the same. "What do you need?"

"Stand by that tree." She pointed in the direction she wanted him to go and, after sending her a confused look, went. "Good. Now come back." His confused look deepened into one of complete bafflement. He wandered back to her side and she turned back to the group. "The ward perimeter is just after that boulder. As you saw, Paul walked through it without any problem because he doesn't want to cause any damage to any of the wards' occupants." She turned back to Paul. "Now, go back to the tree." He gave her a quick kiss before jogging back.

"So, now you're going to test what happens when he does want to hurt someone, right?" Jasper asked, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. She nodded and turned to Emmett.

"Come here," she ordered. He exchanged a look with Edward, who nodded, and appeared at her side in a blur. "Rosalie said okay," she breathed before reaching up and kissing him. She kept her mouth shut but she could feel Paul's fury. She pulled away and turned to her wolf who was shaking a good'un but wasn't coming any closer to defend her.

"Why didn't he come in and pull you away?" Jacob asked, standing more to attention than he had been. If it was because a member of his Pack was in distress or because she'd just kissed a vampire, she didn't know.

"Because right now, he wants to hurt Emmett," she told them. "Even though that kiss means nothing and was more disgusting than pleasurable, no offense, the wolf still saw it as a threat to their mate and wanted to get revenge. My wards don't let him."

Jasper looked thoughtful. Esme was the one, however, who turned to Paul and asked the question that a few had been thinking. "How badly do you want to hurt Emmett?" He didn't emit anything other than a deep growl whilst both Jasper and Edward snorted.

"His thoughts are all about planning the different ways of attack and killing."

"His emotions would support that."

"Then why hasn't he phased, if he's that angry?" Alice asked, tilting her head to show her curiosity.

"Because Paul's managing to keep himself from phasing. He knows 'Mione wouldn't want him to act out like the wolf wants him to," Jacob answered, looking impressively at his beta. Hermione had to admit that the control he was showing was impressive.

"What about if someone is calm and not wanting to hurt us but then events occur and they change their mind once they're in?" Esme asked and Hermione smiled, motioning with her finger to wait a minute before popping over to Paul and calming him until the shaking subsided and he was able to walk back through the wards.

"Hermione," Jacob said warningly. "How are you going to demonstrate what Esme asked?" She didn't say anything, but she was impressed with how he was able to say her name instead of calling her a leech. She gave an apologetic look to Paul before apparating back to Emmett and kissing him again.

She heard the sound of Paul passing out and dropping to the floor and she broke the kiss before making her way over to check he was okay. When he didn't wake immediately, she cast a rennervate and he blinked immediately, causing her to relax.

"Incredible," Jasper breathed. "So is it the moment the idea or the need pops into his head?"

"Both," she responded, not looking away from Paul's eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Whatever comes first."

"So we're safe?" Esme asked, moving to rest her hand on Edward's forearm, where he rested his hand on top of her in comfort. Edward nodded and Hermione watched as all the vampires, and the few shifters, relax immediately.

* * *

"Go to bed," Hermione growled, annoyed. "Jacob said that tonight was my turn to patrol with Leah and pick up the basics and you're being completely unreasonable."

"No," Paul protested. "He said that moments after you shifted and before you used up a bunch of magic to create the wards. You need to rest more than me."

"No, I don't," she countered. She huffed out a breath, realising he wasn't going to listen to her arguments and stepped closer. "I need to bond with Leah on some level," she told him quietly. "She holds a dislike for me like she does everyone else but here, we can come to some agreement and it will reduce the tension. Please," she pleaded. "I need to do this."

"Fine," he responded after a while. "Come wake me up when patrol is over."

"I promise," she replied, kissing him deeply before shedding her clothes and shifting to run away.

**Okay, so I'm back. I'm trying to be more consistent but I'm struggling. However, HSWW forum has opened an event where everything HP I write, counts towards my words goal, including multi-chap x-overs. Brilliant! It's definitely boosting my writing fingers. So, hopefully you'll see more chapters for this this month.**

**As always, love you all, and please, leave a review!**


	39. Chapter 39

**This chapter is awfully similar to the moment in the book, because it is. A lot of dialogue taken over here to be adjusted with Hermione because I love this scene and as I've said before, I want to stick with the books as closely as possible. **

* * *

_"You had the option to skip patrol,"_ Leah commented, ten minutes into their run. _"Why?"_

_"Because we need to sort this out."_

_"Sort what out? I'm fine with the way things are."_

Hermione growled but carried on running. _"Things aren't fine, Leah. I get that you hate me but let's think about it. You don't hate me because of how I am as a person or because when I cook and make things more crispy than edible. You hate me because I'm an imprint."_

Leah was silent and Hermione felt a surge of proudness as Leah was actually listening.

"_You loved Sam, and I get that, I really do. But he ended things to keep you safe. He knew you weren't his imprint when he met you after his disappearance and first phase. He looked into your eyes and he was filled with a large amount of grief and pain, I'm sure."_

_"How can you be sure?"_

_"Because he loved you too,"_ Hermione replied. "_He was going to marry you and he broke it off and acted differently and shacks up with your cousin when you invited her down. It must hurt, the pain is something that you can't let scab over and heal."_

_"It hurts too much to heal, otherwise it would've by now."_

_"No,"_ Hermione argued. _"It hurts because you can't let him go. He isn't your Sam, as much as he looks like him. He may have the same face, eyes, nose and hair but he doesn't act like your Sam at all. He's an Alpha, he has a whole Pack to worry about. He worries and protects the tribe and he has to live with the pain of seeing his imprint's scars everyday and have to deal with your shit, too."_

_"My shit? He dumped me!"_

_"Have you never been dumped before? Have you never had someone walk out of your arms and into another? Merlin, you're just like Bella! I heard what happened to her, how she just shut down and became a zombie. She showed no emotions and you're just like her! The only difference being, is that you show too much anger."_

_"What do you suppose I do? Forget him and move on? I will still have him in my life till the day I die because of this curse."_

_"You can imprint,"_ Hermione told her. _"I bet you didn't know if you could do it seeing as you're a female but so am I and I managed to imprint on Paul. There's hope for you."_

Leah was silent and it wasn't an angry, hateful silence but more of a thoughtful, considering silence. Hermione let her have it and carried on running, sniffing for any new scents and listening for any wolves to come knocking.

"_What should I do?"_ Leah asked eventually. _"How can I let him go when I still love him?"_

_"You don't love him,"_ Hermione countered. _"You love the idea of him. You love the memories of him but you don't love Sam."_ Hermione paused, taking a mental breath. _"Let him go. Think of the memories but don't dwell on them. Never forget them because they make them you, but some day, you'll meet a wonderful man and you're going to imprint on him and when that day comes, you're going to love him more than you ever loved Sam."_

_"You're smart, you know that?"_

Hermione chuckled. _"Yeah, I've been told once or twice."_

* * *

_"...It was so funny, seeing it afterwards,"_ Hermione laughed. _"Obviously it wasn't funny at the time or straight away because he'd been effectively poisoned, but, come on, he was so in love with this girl that he thought an old man was her and then he fell off the back of a settee."_

_"Man, it sounds brilliant. Seeing it in your mind is pretty good too."_

Hermione was going to reply but her ears twitched and her nose scrunched.

"_Hermione, you good?"_ Leah asked, sensing the mood change from her companion.

"_There's something.."_ Hermione didn't finish speaking, allowing herself to come to a stop as she narrowed in on whatever had alerted her. There! Heartbeats and feet and movement and - _"Someone's coming!"_

She howled immediately, a loud and urgent tone that Leah echoed. Hermione took a few steps back, ensuring she was on the right side of the wards' border and waited for the Pack to come.

_"What is it?"_ Jacob asked, practically shouting, followed up with Paul's, _"Hermione? You okay?"_

_"I'm fine,"_ she replied. _"We've got incoming, though. At least three."_

_"Did they split up?"_ Jacob asked.

_"I'm running the line back to Hermione at the speed of light,"_ Leah promised.

_"I'll run the other way and meet you guys there,"_ Seth responded.

_"No!"_ Hermione said. "_If all of us are there, we'll be outnumbering them and they could consider it a threat. We don't want to give away the wards just yet."_

_"Babe, they're coming here! What else could they be planning?"_

_"To talk?"_ Hermione said as a question. _"Three doesn't make an army."_

_"You managed to,"_ he snarled and she sighed, rolling her eyes in her head.

_"No other point of attack,"_ Leah piped in, images of the woods flying by running through her head.

_"Hermione, do not challenge them,"_ Jacob ordered. "_Wait for me."_ She took a few more steps back but tilted her head when she felt something weird. Her hearing supported it, too.

_"I think..."_

_"What?"_

_"I think they've stopped."_

_"Waiting for the rest of the Pack?"_ Paul growled. _"Can't attack with just three."_

_"I told you that,"_ Hermione mumbled sarcastically, with an added eye roll. "_But no, feel that?"_

_"Someone's phasing?"_ Seth asked from his other end of their territory. _"I wouldn't phase back if I'm about to attack. You've got a disadvantage."_

_"Exactly,"_ Hermione commented smugly. Leah burst into the clearing where Hermione had stopped and skidded to a stop next to her, almost ploughing into her side. Leah saw Hermione step back a bit to avoid being hit, not trusting Leah's judgement and earned a wolf shove for her troubles. "_Hey! Don't push me!"_

_"Why not?"_

_"You'll make me fall over,"_ Hermione pouted._ "Hang on, no. It's four. Sounds like three wolves and one human."_

_"Still enough for a decent attack,"_ Leah commented, crouching defensively. Hermione rolled her eyes again when she sensed Paul's supporting thought.  
Jacob and Paul burst into the clearing only moments later, taking point between the two girls. Hermione was to Jacob's left whilst Leah was on Paul's right.

"_Great, I rank nearly bottom,"_ Leah grumbled to herself and sent an image of her middle finger to Hermione when she sensed the smug grin.

"_Don't moan,"_ Hermione reassured._ "An Alpha's Fifth isn't too bad."_

_"Fifth? What do you mean Fifth?"_

_"I rank higher than you,"_ Seth burst out, sounding extremely happy. "_First come, first serve."_

_"Then why the hell is Puppy over here, before me?"_

They all paused at that, seeing her point. Somehow, it was just instinctual for Hermione to be there, next to Jacob. They silenced completely when the members of the other Pack arrived into the clearing with them. Jared was leading the party, as human, with his hands in front of him whilst Quil, Collin and Brady followed him in their wolf forms.

_"Why send the kids?"_ Paul asked, looking at them with a furrowed brow. It was comical on his giant wolf. _"Going into enemy territory like this, you'd send experienced fighters. Not these two."_

_"Could be a diversion?"_ Leah suggested.

_"I'll double back on the route, just to make sure,"_ Seth offered.

_"But with just Sam and Embry? That doesn't make sense,"_ Hermione quieried. _"If three doesn't make an army then two makes even less of one."_

_"Sam wouldn't be that stupid,"_ Leah whispered but the images of the possible attack still filled her head.

_"You're right; he wouldn't,"_ Hermione replied. "_And he won't get too close because my wards will stop him. We've proven it works, now we trust them."_

"White flag of truce, Jake," Jared said, clearing his throat. "We're here to talk?"

_"Think it's true?"_ Seth asked with half his mind on the conversation whilst the other was running patrol.

_"It makes sense_," Hermione piped up.

_"But..."_ Paul added.

_"Yeah,"_ Leah agreed. _"But."_

The four wolves didn't relax.

"It would be easier to talk if I could hear you, too." Jared's eyes flickered to Hermione and he tensed.

_"Ha! Bitch is scared of an unknown variable,"_ Leah chuckled. Hermione smiled but she wasn't proud of it; it felt wrong to go against her friend like this. Paul gave her a mental nod of agreement.

_"Okay. I guess I'll just talk, then," _Jared said. _"_Jake, we want you to come back_."_ Quil whined softly, supporting Jared's statement and they all felt Jake's heart clench with pain._ "_You've torn our family apart. It's not meant to be this way."

_"Of course it isn't,"_ Hermione scoffed. "_Jake's meant to be Alpha so Sam should step down and trust him. It's Sam that's torn the family apart."_

_"Hermione-"_

_"No!"_ Hermione interrupted, her wolf form growling. _"You can't attack something without knowing it's threat level. If I attacked every wizard with a bone looking wand, like Voldemort had, then I could be killing countless amounts of wizards, some of whom could be out to change the world on a good scale."_

With Hermione's growl, Quill, Collin and Brady all tensed and peeled their lips off their teeth in a defensive manner.

_"Hermione, stand down!"_ Jacob ordered, the Alpha timbre to his voice properly fucking with her mind and keeping her quiet.

"Pups, eh_?"_ Jared chuckled uneasily. _"_Collin and Brady are bad enough but I don't know how I'd cope with a five year old."

_"The fuck did he just say?"_ Hermione gaped, her mind going blank before erupting with anger. "_What a little bitch."_ She went to lurch forward and attack but Jake pinned her immediately, growling into her face.

_"Stand down and don't let him goad you, Hermione, otherwise I'll send you back. Comprende?"_ Hermione growled slightly and Jacob pushed down further on her to keep her still. "_Do I have to repeat myself?"_

_"Fine!"_ she shouted. _"Fine, but just as long as we have no complaints for when I punch him when this is all over."_

_"None at all,"_ Jacob replied, letting her up. _"Stand by Leah, though. She'll keep you in line."_

Jared watched them and when it was clear that Hermione - or the little wolf - wasn't going to attack, he turned back to Jake. "Anyway, we know that you feel... strongly about the situation with the Cullens. We know that's a problem. But this is an overreaction."

Seth growled. _"An overreaction? And attacking our allies without warning, isn't?"_

_"That's my boy,"_ Hermione whispered, her wolf smiling smugly at Seth's outrage. Paul glared at her through their mind.

_"_Sam is willing to take this slowly, Jacob. He's calmed down, talked to the other Elders. They've decided that immediate action is in no one's best interest at this point."

_"Translation: They've already lost the element of surprise,"_ Leah thought.

Jacob found it weird how his Pack all thought very similar thoughts. Sam's Pack was already 'them'.

"Billy and Sue agree with you, Jacob, that we can wait for Bella... to be separated from the problem. Killing her is not something any of us feel comfortable with."

_"Damn right,"_ Hermione snarled, along with Jacob but Hermione quietened down immediately when Leah nudged her, in case Jacob told her off and sent her away. He couldn't fault her this moment of anger, though.

"Easy, Jake, Pup," Jared acquiesed. "You know what I mean. The point is, we're going to wait and reassess the situation. Decide later if there's a problem with the... thing."

_"Ha,"_ Leah thought._ "What a load."_

_"You don't buy it?"_ Jacob asked.

_"I know what they're thinking,"_ Paul commented, having been surprisingly quiet so far. _"What Sam's thinking. They're betting on Bella dying anyway. And then they figure you'll be so mad..."_

_"That I'll lead the attack myself_," Jacob finished.

"Jake?" Jared asked, interrupting the Pack's thoughts. Jake sighed.

_"Leah, make a circuit with Seth - just to be sure. I'm going to have to talk to him and I want to be positive there isn't anything else going on whilst I'm phased."_

_"I'll phase,"_ Paul offered. _"He's my best friend. It'll put him off to see me as the enemy, and you'll still be in touch with the Pack."_

_"I don't like it,"_ Hermione protested. _"I can't protect you if you're over there and I'm here and you're in a destructible skin."_

_"I know, baby,"_ he agreed. _"But I'll stay on this side of the wards. Jake? Am I good to phase?"_

_"Yeah_," he answered. _"Leah, still run that circuit though."_ Leah huffed but ran off anyway, her claws digging into the dirt as she pushed herself fast, wanting to get back sooner rather than later.

* * *

**It's so long and I had to split it into two. I really wanted to show how Hermione is just like other wolves with her quick temper. We all know they get angry quickly and why should she be different? **

**There is a very tiny detail about Hermione and the reason she's a wolf. So tiny, you most likely won't have seen it. I'll be slipping in teasers until the reveal. **


	40. Chapter 40

**I was meant to have this up yesterday, but I fell ill.**

* * *

"Where's she going?" Jared asked but obviously, nobody was able to answer him. Paul rolled his eyes at his friend but calmed himself enough to phase back into his human form. "Oh. Hey, Paul."

"Hey, Jared," he responded.

"We want you guys to come home, man. We'll even accept the pup and help him phase back."

Hermione made to growl but Jacob squashed that thought before she could act on it.

_"No, Hermione. This is good. If they think you're a guy, they know you aren't you and then they will suspect even less about any fail-safes we've got. I want you to pretend you've imprinted on Leah."_

_"What?"_ Hermione gasped, echoed by Leah's own exclaimation and Seth's chuckles. _"Why?"_

"_Because Jared will return all information to Sam and it'll piss him off. Despite the fact he's imprinted, he still holds a soft spot for her and always will. If he thinks Leah's imprinted on you, it'll be-"_

_"-Perfect,"_ Leah interjected. _"'Mione, please, do it."_

_"Okay, fine,"_ Hermione huffed.

"I don't know if it's that easy, man," Paul replied to Jared, bringing the wolves back to the conversation. Hermione had her ears and mind focused on the chat but her head was turned to where Leah had disappeared and she made herself look incredibly sad and dejected. She even let out a little whine.

_"You're really acting like a five year old who lost their favourite toy,"_ Leah teased.

_"Maybe I have,"_ Hermione replied. "_Oh, Leah, my love! Return to me!"_

"Come home," Jared pleaded. "You guys don't belong here." He turned to Jacob. "Let Paul, Leah and Seth come home. As I said before, the Pup is welcome, too." Jacob snorted and Paul chuckled.

"He's saying that he's been trying to get us to do that from the beginning."

"What about your Father? What about 'Mione?"

"What about them?"

"Your Dad is home. He's like Sue and Billy; he understands why you left and that you got your mind in what you think is the best place but you can come home and see him. Don't you want to tell him about Hermione?"

"He knows I've imprinted," Paul growled. "He also shouldn't be home until next week."

"We called him," Jared shrugged. "He was at a port when we got through to him and he got on the quickest flight he could. He's worried about you."

"You shouldn't have cut his trip short. Not for this."

"So, I suppose you're telling us that we shouldn't tell Hermione?" Jared asked, eyebrow raised. "She deserves to know that her cousin is carrying some monstrocity."

"She believes that her cousin is in the process of changing into a vampire whilst she deals with post-war shit in England. Disturb her, and I'll kill you." The gleam in Paul's eyes was enough to make him back off. He was serious.

"Fine," Jared huffed. "Good thing we couldn't get a hold of her anyway. We both know she'd be here. Hell, she deserves to be here!"

"She's lost enough family," Paul snarled. "I won't have her sit here and watch as she loses another."

_"Shit,"_ Hermione murmured. _"Do you think that's how he really feels?"_

Jacob snorted softly._ "Of course it is,"_ he replied. "_He has no need to lie_."

"So, what? You're just going to hang out with the parasites for as long as this takes?"

"Hell no, Jared," Paul replied. "I think I might take an extended vacation and live here with them permanently." He rolled his eyes. "I'll stay here until you can see that you're going down the wrong route."

"Hermione will be pissed that you didn't tell her."

"Do not presume to know my imprint better than me," Paul growled, taking a step closer and being awfully close to the border. "She'd know that I did, what I did, to keep her safe."

Jared stared at him for a few more moments before stepping back. "You guys need to come home."

"No can do," Paul replied, taking his own steps back. "Jake especially. Can't have two Alphas in one Pack. I don't know, it's just an idea, why doesn't Sam stand down like he was supposed to, and give Jake the position that is rightfully his?"

"Jake's being blinded by his love for Bella."

"Jake's acting like an Alpha. He's listened to people's opinions and he hasn't dove head first into a war. I'd die for this Alpha."

"And you wouldn't die for Sam?"

"Not anymore."

Jared inhaled in shock, looking at his friend. "You've changed. Paul wouldn't want to side with the leeches. He wouldn't want this at all."

"The Paul you are thinking of is an angry shifter who cares about nobody but the Pack and himself. The Paul that I am is an imprinted wolf who has only one person he wants to live and he happens to be in a relationship with her and goddamn if that means siding with the parasites so she won't hate me when she returns, then that's what I'll do. You'd do the same for Kim and you know it."

Jared stared at his friend for a moment longer and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true."

Leah burst through the trees at the second, and Hermione rushed to her, nuzzling her where she could to check she was safe.

_"I feel dirty,"_ Hermione confessed. "_My wolf hates the idea of being this close to you and not Paul."_

_"Don't worry about it,"_ Leah replied. _"It feels weird for me too."_

"Leah," Jared called, bringing attention from the two wolves to him. "You know you don't want to be here." Leah met his gaze, her muzzle pulling back a little over her teeth. Hermione copied her. They both growled at him.

"Sorry," Jared apologised. "Guess I shouldn't assume, but you don't have any ties to the bloodsuckers." Leah looked at Hermione, then Jacob and Paul before turning her head away to indicate Seth. "So you want to watch out for Seth, I get that."

"Jared," Paul warned.

"Please, Leah. We want you back. Sam wants you back."

Hermione tensed and growled lowly. Leah's tail twitched.

"Sam told me to beg. He told me to literally get down on my knees and beg if I have to. He wants you home, Lee-Lee, where you belong."

Leah flinched and Hermione snapped, barking and growling at Jared as if she was going to attack. She probably would've too, if it wasn't for Leah dragging her back by the tail and nuzzling her until she calmed down some.

"That's an interesting development," Jared murmured to himself.

"You should go," Paul snapped. "You're a bastard and so is Sam, playing with her emotions so that we have one less member in our Pack. Get out of our sight."  
Jared looked apologetically at Paul before nodding and turning his back on them, walking away into the trees. Quil looked at Jacob and whined, but started to turn back, even if it was reluctantly.

"Hey, Jared," Paul called before his friend disappeared completely. "Is Embry okay?"

"Embry? Sure, he's fine. Why?"

"Just wandered why Sam sent Brady and Collin instead of Embry."

"That's not really your business now, is it, Paul?"

"I suppose not," Paul agreed, watching his old Pack brothers leave.

Once they had left, Paul shifted back and they started running back to the Cullen's house for food.

_"Was that okay?"_ Paul asked. _"I should have let you deal with it, Jake. Did I do everything okay?"_

_"You could've hit Jared for us_," Hermione piped up. "_Other than that, it was great. Well done, Beta."_

* * *

_"It's strange,"_ Jared concluded._ "The pup can't be any older than seven with his size and he's already imprinted on Leah and ranks higher than her and Seth."_

_"That is strange,"_ Sam agreed, pacing the clearing that their small Pack had met in. "_Could we take them?"_

_"Take on our brothers?"_ Quil asked, shock and fury lacing his statement. "_We've already caused a rift between us, now you want us to hurt them?"_

_"They're defending a monster."_

"_Jake's right!"_ Embry argued. "_We don't know if it'll hurt anyone and with that many wolves and leeches there for when it's born, they'll have it destroyed before it can pose too much of a threat."_

_"I don't know if we could take them and the leeches,"_ Jared mused. "_I don't know if I'd want to."_

_"Paul made his bed,"_ Sam growled._ "Let him lay in it and regret his decisions."_

_"He's my best friend and he looked at me like I was the enemy,"_ Jared continued, ignoring his Alpha. "_I don't want to be the enemy. Not anymore."_

* * *

"This is completely unreasonable," Hermione huffed, pulling on her clothes once she'd shifted back. "It's more of a hindrance than anything else."

"You get used to it," Leah offered. Hermione gave her a dirty look.

"That's what's so bad about it. The fact you're used to ripping your clothes are having to get dressed each time."

"There's no other way to live this life," Leah told her. "We were dealt our hand, now we play with it."

"Animagus never have this problem," she muttered and then froze, halfway to buttoning up her shirt. "What if-? I could, and then-?"

"What?" Leah asked.

"I need books," she blurted, before rushing into the house, buttoning up her shirt again.

**So, making plans for other stories that I have in my head. What Twilight/Hermione pairings do you guys want to read? What other Hermione/xovers would you be interested in, too? I've got a Merlin/Hermione one in my mind.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Thank you all for your pairings and x-over ideas, they've literally had my mind in complete excitement at some of them. Keep them coming if you ever get one. Sorry for the delay, I've been focusing on forum events.**

**Quick pet peeve: I've been reading a lot of twilight fics and omg, the amount of times people have Paul's surname as Meraz annoys me. How difficult is it to google his character's name, when they can manage to use his actor's name? Eugh!**

* * *

"Hermione, you're doing it again," Paul sighed, watching his girlfriend and imprint bustle around their shared bedroom in a huff. "This isn't healthy."

"You know what isn't healthy, Paul? Ripping my clothes to shreds every time I turn into a fluffy dog." He rolled his eyes at her snappy tone and was extremely thankful that she didn't see because he was sure that she would've sent a stinging hex in his direction. "It's completely impractical and some of us don't like showing off our assets!"

"I like it when you show off your assets," Paul admitted, his voice taking a husky hue. Hermione shivered and he grinned wolfishly.

"I love it when you show off yours but let us be reasonable, do you really want any of the other wolves to see me in a way that only you should?"

He felt his blood boil. "I can't help my mind wander when I'm in wolf form and thinking of you."

"That's different, though I'll be having a conversation with you about that." Paul gulped at her glare. "They're seeing me from your perspective; with this torn clothes thing that we all have going on, they'll see everything for themselves, with their own eyes!"

Paul sighed at her agitation and moved to intercept her when she reached for another book.

"Stop," he ordered gently, removing the book from her hands and dropping it gently onto the bed. He wove their fingers together before tugging her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her waist. She looked up at him, her fingers grabbing onto the belt loops and her chin resting on his chest. "I agree that something has to be done but there isn't anything we can do."

"But there is!" she exclaimed. "Witches and wizards have the ability to turn into animals, and they're known as an animagus. When an animagus transforms, they can keep their clothes throughout the change. It doesn't matter how long they're transformed for or what clothes they're wearing, they stay on."

Paul nodded his head thoughtfully, listening to her and thinking it through in his own head.

"So there isn't a spell for it?" he checked, and she shook her head, sighing with annoyance.

"No, it comes with the transformation."

"So, make one," he told her. She stared at him with wide eyes, looking completely bewildered that it caused him to chuckle. "Make a spell that will serve the same purpose as this animagus transformation but for us. You're the smartest witch of your generation! I'm sure you can do it."

"I don't think I can," she argued and he stared at her before looking at the large library that they had in their room. He couldn't even enter the wardrobe but if he did, there were books in there, too. He'd checked before that had got blocked off.

"Hermione, I'm not going to argue with you because I'm tired and I just want you to be happy, but you and I both know that you could do it. If you can do it for us, shapeshifters, then you could do it for werewolves too."

Her eyes lit up with the possibility and he knew he'd planted the seed successfully.

"Remus would like that," she murmured. Paul nodded his head, going along with her. When he'd met the older werewolf, they'd discussed how the change was different for the pair of them and Paul knew that Remus hated waking up after the transformation, battered, naked and extremely weak. Just ticking one of those off would be a nice improvement for him.

Paul pecked her on the forehead. "I'm going to sleep," he told her before looking at their bed and grimacing. "I'll be outside, sleeping by a tree if you need me."

* * *

"Hey," Kim murmured, looking at Jared with worried eyes. "Are you okay? You've been out here a while."

Jared sighed, opening his arms out for her to walk into and he embraced her tightly. She seemed to know that he needed comfort as she ran her hands through his hair, causing him to relax and melt into her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Paul's right," he confessed after fighting with himself to remain silent. He looked at Kim, worried he'd see an angry expression on her beautiful face but she'd maintained her concerned and listening one. "Sam and I, we're bastards." Kim opened her mouth to protest but he didn't let her. "He told me to try and persuade Leah to come home. It wasn't an order and I did it, playing with her emotions like it was a video game. Sam has no claim to her, despite what he likes to believe."

"You're doing what you think is right," she murmured quietly but still loud enough for him to hear.

He stood up, shuffling her away from him as he started to pace.

"I'm not," he admitted, barking out a dry laugh. "I don't think this is right. At first, we saw what that thing was doing to Bella and Sam wanted us to kill it and her. That's wrong but I could only see you being hurt by this unknown." He scrubbed his face with his hand, the other burying itself in his hair.

"You have to protect your imprint," she told him. "That's how it works. You told me that."

"If that was how it worked, then why did Paul go and protect this unknown creature that could be dangerous, knowing that Hermione would come and visit her cousin and possibly get killed? Both Sam and I thought that our brother would be leading the army, second to Jacob."

Kim moved closer to her boyfriend, wrapping herself around his back.

"He has to protect his imprint and he knows that protecting Bella and her baby - no matter what it is - is what Hermione would want and therefore, he isn't causing any emotional damage to her himself. He's protecting her, just in a different way to how you are for me."

Jared's hands moved away from his head and gripped hers tightly.

"Sam's gone mental," he added as an afterthought. "He even suggested we attack the other Pack." Kim gasped with horror. "I know," he grimly said, turning in her arms to hold her to him. "But we all spoke up about it and argued him but we're his Pack still and if he decides that it is the right thing to do and orders it, then the only thing we can do is oblige him."

"Or you could join the other Pack," she suggested. Jared stared at her with a baffled gaze and she smiled in amusement. "Join the others, be with Paul and help them. You know that you'd drive yourself insane with the regret if you were forced to hurt Paul and succeeded and had to tell Hermione when she came back. You'd never be able to sleep again."

"And when Sam orders the others to fight? I'd be just as torn up if I had to hurt them when defending myself."  
"Defence is different to offense," she sang smartly. He rolled his eyes at her. "But seriously, it is. When defending, all you got to do is shove them off and away. You're not going for the jugular."

He laughed, this one more delightful than the last and pressed a kiss to her lips which she eagerly returned.

"Who knew that my imprint was such a smart cookie?"

"Everyone but you, apparently," she responded dryly. He chuckled again and pressed more kisses to her face.

"How am I going to cope without you?" he asked. "I won't be able to come back until this is all over and even then, if things turn bad, I don't know if I'd ever be welcomed back. I can't risk that. I can't risk you."

"Of course you can," she argued. "If you aren't welcome here after all this, then neither am I. We'll run away with Paul and Hermione, though we'd have to live separate because I don't know if I could handle living with their sex drive."

They both laughed, admitting that the pair were in the bedroom more than the other couples.

* * *

_"You should talk to Embry and Rachel before you go," Kim had told him later on as they packed him a duffel bag which he was going to attach round his neck when in wolf form. "Quil has been spending a lot of time there and you know they'd prefer it if you said goodbye."_

_"What about Brady and Collin?"_

_"You told me that they were patrolling and if they see you in wolf form but not being able to talk to you, then your game will be up straight away. They're also too young to actually feel as close to you as you do the others. Once the Pack is all together, then everything will be back to normal and they'll completely understand."_

_"God, you know everything, don't you?" She'd merely chuckled at him._

"Hey Jared," Embry called, bringing Jared out of his thoughts. She'd cried as he'd left, and even though they both knew he was doing what was right, it had hurt him not to turn around and comfort her. "I thought Sam told you to spend the night with Kim."

"He did," Jared replied, walking into Jacob's garage to see Embry, Quil and Rachel. "Because he knew I'd not be able to leave her."

Quil and Embry stared at their pack mate with wide eyes. "What are you saying?" Quil asked, licking his lips nervously.

"I'm saying that I've left the Pack." The two other wolves inhaled sharply and Rachel straightened in her seat, looking extremely interested which was a better look than the extremely depressed one she'd been wearing previously.

"What?" Embry croaked. "Why?"

"Because this isn't right," he confessed. "We all know this and we can't sit by and let it happen. I can't sit by and let it happen."

"If you lose, Sam will be so pissed that you won't be welcome back."

"Which is why Kim suggested we run away and join Paul and Hermione and tag along on their adventure."

Embry sat down on the small settee next to Rachel and held her hand between his larger ones.

"Why are you telling us?" he asked.

"Kim suggested I say goodbye." He ran a hand through his hair. "Sam wants us to attack them. It has been on his mind a lot more than normal lately and I'm not okay with that. I don't want to hurt Paul or Jacob or any of the others, not even this little pup that appeared out of nowhere. I want to eat dinner with them and laugh and tease Paul about catching him having sex with Hermione in my car. I want things back to normal and I know we can't do that, not know, and maybe not ever, but this is wrong."

"You don't know that the thing Bella's carrying is safe."

"And we also don't know that it isn't. Let's be reasonable and think about it. They have five wolves and seven vampires that will be there to destroy it if things turn bad. Forget what Sam says about blondie being a problem; we know she's protective of her family and she'll destroy it if it proves a threat, I know it."

"They also have a witch on demand," Rachel piped up. All three wolves looked at her. "They do," she shrugged. "They might not like the idea of calling Hermione in but she could probably stun it, bind it and burn it before you could even phase and run a mile."

Jared smiled wryly, in complete agreement.

"Yeah," he agreed. "That's true." They stood in silence for a moment and he shifted the bag on his shoulder awkwardly. "Well, I'm going to go. I want to get across the border before they notice I'm gone. I know you'll have to tell Sam if he asks but that's okay." He pulled first Quil, and then Embry into a hug. "I'm going to miss you brothers."

He turned to walk out of the garage and was halfway out of the door when Rachel's voice made him pause.

"Embry, go with him!"

* * *

**So, what did we think?**


	42. Chapter 42

**We have nearly made 600 follows and I'd love it if we could make it to 500 reviews, because I love hearing what you think!**

* * *

"We need to feed," Carlisle admitted to Esme once Bella was asleep. "We all need to. It isn't healthy for us to just sit here like this and not be getting any sustenance."

"We can't leave her!" Rosalie snarled, Edward growling in agreement.

"One, I never said that we had to leave her. Two, she wouldn't be alone if we did because she'd have the wolves-" Rosalie scoffed. "-and Hermione."

"It isn't safe for us to leave," Esme piped up, her black eyes showing her worry for her family. "We're protected in Hermione's wards but once we step out of them, we're going against a Pack on our own."

"I know," Carlie agreed, hugging her comfortingly. "But we'll work around that. We can have a distraction close to the wards and then have a couple leave from another direction."

"We'd be tipping our hand too early," Jasper drawled. "The wards are a secret and should stay a secret until as close to the final confrontation as possible. It would help to get people out, yes, but what about getting back in? They'd be able to find our area limit and run patrols around that."

"I can help," Hermione offered. All of the vampires swung startled gazes to her, unaware that she'd been there the whole time.

"Hermione," Carlisle greeted. "I didn't hear you come down."

She wiggled her wand, grinning. "Silencing spell. Handy for sneaking," she confessed with a shrug. "Jasper's right about the wards; we don't want them to know because they can work it to their advantage. We can head out, like normal, running and then when we get a safe distance away, I can apparate us to where you want to go. I can also apparate us back through the wards."

"Then why don't you apparate us straight out and back in?" Alice asked, tilting her head and grimacing when a vampire's equivalent to a headache appeared. Wolves, witches and hybrid babies weren't helping her visions at all.

"She wants to know what they've got," Jasper commented. "That's handy information to have." When none of his family showed any understanding besides Edward, he rolled his eyes. "She wants to know how many they've got on patrol, where they're running and who they've got."

"Smart," Emmett whistled. "That's why you won the war." Hermione rolled her eyes at the mountain of a vampire and turned her attention back to Carlisle.

"I'd need you to run anyway because I can only apparate to places I've been to before. If you run and I'm with you, then when you hunt, I can apparate back so I'm not risking any temptation and then you can call us and I can come pick you up. It's very simple."

Carlisle nodded. "That sounds great," he admitted. "But what about getting you out. You're a little wolf, you won't be able to keep up and the other Pack aren't afraid of hurting you."

"Which is why I'll disillusion myself and hold on tightly whilst you run. My presence won't be noticed at all."

"Alice?" Esme called. "How does this work out? Can you see?"

"It works out fine if we go through water." Eyes swung back to Hermione and she wiggled her wand again. Did they not realise she had spells for almost everything? Everything except keeping clothes on when shifting, she grumbled internally.

"So we need to decide who goes first," Carlisle said, looking at his family.

"Preferably someone fast," Hermione added. She shrugged when Carlisle looked at her. "I'd rather not risk any bitten limbs.

"Okay. Edward, you need to-"

"No," he cut Carlisle off. "I'm not leaving Bella." Rosalie's face showed her agreement.

"Okay then," he sighed. "Alice, you and me?" She tilted her head before nodding her agreement. "When can we leave, Hermione?"

"Let me just say goodbye to Paul," she said before pausing and chewing her lip. "On second thought, we should go now."

"You not going to tell lover dog?" Emmett asked, smirking.

"What? And tell him, hey baby, yeah I'm going out running with vampires whilst wolves chase us down and then I'm going underwater and all of this will be done whilst I'm human and you're sat back here?" She snorted. "No, thank you. That conversation can wait till you're all fed."

* * *

_"Where's Hermione?"_ Leah asked Jacob whilst the pair of them patrolled. Seth and Paul were curled up in a rather adorable doggy pile that the two would tease them for later.

_"She's working on some magic,"_ Jacob replied, stopping to peer deeper into the forest as he thought he'd seen another wolf. "_She's done enough for us already but..."_

_"...But she's Hermione and strives for perfection. And her type of perfection is protecting her family to the best of her ability,"_ Leah finished, her wolf sighing.

_"Yep,"_ Jacob agreed, popping the 'p'.

* * *

"Ready?" Hermione asked, bouncing on her feet slightly. Carlisle smiled, smelling the adrenaline racing through her veins. She may have gone through a war and hated it, as her right, but she was enjoying this feeling. She'd probably feel sick afterwards but he was going to let her have this moment.

"Yeah, we are," Alice answered, speaking for the both of them. "Who's going to hold you and how are we going to do that without alerting them to the face that you're there?"  
"A mild sticking charm," she replied, pinning her braid even closer to her head so that it wasn't going to fly around and hit them in the face. "So you need to decide where I'll be easier for you to run and move and then we'll go from there."

"Piggyback?" Carlisle checked. Hermione rolled her eyes, chuckling.

"Don't ask me, ask yourself." He rolled his eyes before turning slightly and motioning to his back. She walked over and hopped onto his back. He used his arms to secure her legs around him in a comfortable position where he knew she wouldn't hinder his movement and she stuck herself, her wand clenched between her fingers so tightly that he was sure it was going to crack.

"Your wand," Alice pointed out. "What if you let go?"

Carlisle sensed her eye roll.

"I'm not going to let go," she argued. "But if it makes you feel better, I'll use a mild sticking charm for that too." Alice giggled in response. "Okay, I'm stuck and invisible. You guys ready to run for your lives?"

Carlisle glanced down at his waist where he felt Hermione's legs and sure enough, they weren't there anymore. He didn't doubt her but even being a vampire and living for as long as he had, magic was still a wonder to him.

"Sure," he sighed, tilting his head to the left and right to loosen up muscles that he didn't need to loosen. "We better get this over and done with."

"Yeah," Alice agreed. "I'm hungry."

* * *

"_I don't like this,"_ Brady complained, running through the trees at a speed that still amazed him. _"It's so quiet."_

_"Yeah_," Collin agreed. _"Paul would be giving us shit if he was here. Miss that guy."_

_"Me too,"_ Brady replied. "_But he chose his side and it was against us. He joined the dark side."_

_"But do you believe that?"_ Collin asked. _"He's just doing what he thinks is right for Hermione. I'd do anything to not face her wrath. She's a scary witch when she wants to be."_

_"And Sam is a scary Alpha which is why we're with him and not Jacob."_

_"Do you want to be with Jacob?"_ Collin questioned tentatively. _"We've got more friends over there than here."_

_"But we don't have a home_," he replied. _"We should drop this conversation; Sam would kill us if he heard it."_

_"He's losing it,"_ Collin whispered as if Sam was going to pop up out of nowhere and give them shit for talking about him. _"He suggested, and even agreed, about attacking our brothers. That isn't right."_

_"No,"_ Brady admitted. _"It isn't, but we don't have any other choice."_

_"Of course we do,"_ Collin argued. _"Paul, one of Sam's closest buddies turned on him, and he has family here and no home there. Jacob's also rightful Alpha."_

_"Which means he has more right to being on Quiluete land and running the Pack than Sam does,"_ Brady finished. Brady shook his head. These thoughts were causing too many conflicting emotions; he'd made his decision when the Pack first split and now he's going to have to live with that.

_"I'm sure we could leave if we wanted to,"_ Collin commented, seeing his thoughts and where they'd headed. _"It doesn't make sense for there to be only one opportunity to leave."_

_"Hold that thought,"_ Brady interrupted. "_I'm smelling... Leech!"_ Brady growled, his location flashing to Collin who met up with him immediately. _"Trail is heading this way."_

It didn't take long for them to catch up to the two vampires who held a scent similar to that of a wolf, which they put down to being in close contact with the other Pack.

"There they are," the female said, her voice holding a hint of amusement.

_"Fucker,"_ Collin growled, urging himself forward.

"_We're not going to get them_," Brady pointed out as they drew neared to what they knew to be a huge cliff with water at the bottom. _"There is no way we'll be able to catch up and fight without that cliff being a problem_."

Collin wasn't listening and pushed himself further. _"Shit,"_ he hissed as he skidded to a stop so that he didn't follow the two over the side. "_Fucking hell!"_ he cursed.

_"Why would they do that?"_

_"They're hungry,"_ Brady mentally shrugged. "_They've got to eat at some time."_

_"They've got to come back, too,"_ Collin added. "_And the others must be just as hungry, meaning there will be more hunting trips. We'll get someone."_

* * *

_"Woah,"_ Leah gasped, hearing the commotion coming from further in the woods. There was a hell of a lot of snarling and it sounded extremely frustrated. They couldn't be trying to get in the wards because Jacob and Leah were running on the edge of it. Maybe Sam had finally lost the plot?

_"Sounds bad,"_ Jacob commented. _"Somebody is definitely angry. Be careful."_

_"Two someones actually_," she pointed out. "But will do. Hermione would be pissed if I managed to get myself hurt just because I stepped out for one second to watch Sam get his arse handed to him."

_"You don't know it is Sam,"_ Jacob told her.

The growls carried on and Leah slowed down to a stop, pacing on the spot so that she could try and get some idea of what was going on.

_"It's like they're fighting something,"_ she said._ "Like when we were chasing down that ginger bitch."_

_"You think a vampire is out there?"_

_"I love how you didn't say leech,"_ Leah chuckled. _"But yeah, the frustrated growls seem to be more frustrated at something else than each other. They're getting quieter so they're definitely being led away."_

_"They're chasing something,"_ Jacob concluded. _"Stay running a patrol, I'll go check with the Cullens and see what's going on and if they've let anyone slip out without telling us."_

_"Sure,"_ Leah agreed, as she reluctantly dragged herself away from the sounds. It amused her that the other Pack was extremely frustrated; if Sam was there then he was one of those sounds, if he wasn't, and when he found out later, he was going to be even more pissed. Leah chuckled.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Jasper asked Jacob, leaning against the side of the house so he didn't have to deal with the overwhelming scent of vampires. He also didn't want Rosalie to complain about the smell never getting out of the furniture.

"We just heard a lot of noises in the forest," Jacob told him. "Wanted to check that everything was okay."

"Jake?" a voice interrupted, and Jake turned to the door, smiling at Hermione. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, 'Mione," he reassured. "We just a lot of growls outside of the wards and it sounded like they were chasing something or someone."

"We're all accounted for," Jasper promised. "Wouldn't risk stepping outside of the wards, not when we don't know what's waiting for us out there."

"Good." Jacob nodded, satisfied. "We don't know what's out there either. It sucks not having them in our head because we can't get a feel of their plans and who's where."

"Everything will be okay," Hermione vowed. "I know it."


	43. Chapter 43

**I think we've made 600 follows on this story! Can we make 500 reviews? More because I love hearing what you want to see and what you enjoyed than making a milestone.**

* * *

"Ah," Alice moaned as she dropped the body of the deer to the floor. "That, has to be the most delicious thing I've ever tasted."

Carlisle chuckled, lowering his own to the ground as well.

"I'm sure you've tasted better," he argued, smiling at her. "But I will agree that this does taste delicious." Carlisle wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth before turning to the vampire he considered a daughter. "Are you full or do you fancy one more?"

"I'm satisfied," she replied. "What about you?"

"I've been tided over," he told her. "Hermione makes things easier. If we get hungry and things are still not good, we can just ask her to take us here."

"She'll get tired eventually," Alice warned. "We shouldn't take advantage of her."

"I'm not saying that we make use of her ability every day for all of us, I'm just saying that we have her there if we need her." Alice nodded, satisfied with his response though she still looked wary. She knew that too much magic usage would tire her out quicker and make her useful in a coming battle; she didn't want that too happen.

"Let's go home," Alice suggested.

* * *

"Better?" Esme asked once her husband had returned home and she'd cradled him in her arms so tightly that showed how much she'd worried and missed them. "You both look better."

"We feel better," Carlisle confessed. "You and Jasper should go for the next trip. Emmett, you and Rosalie should go after them when Hermione gets a chance to take you."

"Emmett, you should go with Esme next," Hermione corrected. "I need to speak with Jasper about what I've learnt." Emmett stared at Hermione before exchanging a quick glance with Jasper and nodding his agreement.

"Sure," he agreed, shrugging as if he didn't care. The blackness of his eyes and the stiffness of his body indicated how hungry he truly was. Hermione didn't feel threatened now that she'd turned into a wolf, though she hadn't felt threatened in the first place.

"Let's go now?" Hermione checked, wiping her hands on her trousers. "I know where I'm going, it won't take me long and it will definitely help you two."

Esme and Emmett appeared at her sides instantly. She grinned at them.

"Hold on to my arm," she told them. "And don't grip too tightly." And then she apparated them away to the clearing that Alice and Cullen had shown her.

"Oh my fucking god!" Emmett groaned, falling to his knees as soon as they arrived. "That was horrendous! I never want to do that again."

Esme looked like she was in just as much discomfort though she'd managed to control her language.

"Bloody hell, Emmett," Hermione chuckled. "You're acting like you aren't a manly vampire." He glared at her from his position on the ground but she merely laughed at him. "Call me when you're done and ready to come home." And then she apparated away.

The wind blew and Emmett's attention was immediately transferred from his complaining body to the scent that filled his nose.

"Damn," he mumbled. "That smells good." He exchanged a glance with Esme and they both nodded before taking off.

* * *

"Brady and Collin were on patrol," Hermione told Jasper as she sat down and picked at her food, chewing on a couple of fries before taking a drink. "They didn't howl out when they caught a whiff of Carlisle and Alice which tells me that they were alone and either had orders not to alert anyone or they'd just been having an interesting conversation which was too good to share."

Jasper raised an eyebrow in interest, passing her the ketchup bottle when she motioned for it.

"You think they were talking about leaving the Pack?"

"I have no idea what they could have been talking about," she confessed. "They could've been talking about someone's sister, insulting Sam, musing about leaving them or discussing the weather but either way, they didn't request back-up."

"Is that unusual?" he checked, steepling his fingers as he watched her eat.

"To put the two least qualified members of the Pack on patrol? Yes. To put two members who don't have as deep links to this Pack as the others do? No. Sam's sensing some hesitancy in his Pack and that means he's trying to keep them away from us to where they have less chance of contact and switching sides but also keeping them close to their imprints and families where he's showing them why they have to stay."

"So you think we'll be getting new recruits some time soon?"

"No," she denied. "I'm just telling you that he's got newbies out there and only two of them whilst the others are wallowing in pity and grief at home."

"We could work with that," he pointed out, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"We can," she agreed, taking a bite out of her burger which Alice had cooked to perfection. "It would involve more wolves around here if we succeeded but it'd be worth it when Sam waltzes in with his tail between his legs."

The two sat in silence, both with their thoughts, whilst Hermione finished her dinner and leant back with an exhale, rubbing her stomach with a groan.

A loud howl broke the silence and Hermione sat up, alert and wide eyed.

"I need to check what's going on," she told Jasper, making a move to leave the kitchen and then the house when her phone buzzed in her pocket. "Shit," she cursed, glaring at the small device. "Why now?" she complained.

"Pick them up," Jasper ordered. "We need to stick together so that we're all safe. It will also take you only two minutes to get from A to B, if that."

She nodded, disappearing with a crack and reappearing seconds later with a disgruntled Emmett and a worried Esme who sensed Hermione's unease.

"Now we're all together, I need to leave." She saluted the vampires before running out of the room and building and transforming into her wolf. She didn't say anything, just let the conversations carry on so she didn't interrupt anybody.

_"What the fuck are you doing here?"_ Paul snarled. _"You're not wanted."_

_"Don't be like that."_ Jared? Hermione's eyes widened in shock and she quickly threw up her occlumency shields, praying that it worked and she hadn't been noticed.

_"I've been thinking about things since you left and I feel shit about it. Kim was the one who sent me."_

_"So you're not even here on your own accord,"_ Seth muttered._ "You had to have your girlfriend kick you over here."_

_"Would you all just cut it out?"_ Embry asked, exasperated with them. Embry? Hermione's legs wobbled with shock. Had it been only fifteen minutes ago that she told Jasper nobody would join them without their prompting. She'd misjudged the imprints greatly.

"_We're family,"_ Jared said. "_I can't hurt you guys and I've already done enough of that by being a gigantic arse. I had to get out before Sam gave the order."_

_"Order?"_ Jacob questioned. "_Order for what?"_

_"An attack_," Embry answered. "_But he had no problems with hurting you guys."_

_"Bastard_," Leah snarled. _"I'm going to fucking rip his balls off."_

_"You two better get your stuff to the Cullen's house. We have a huge discussion ahead of us."_

Hermione scampered back to the house, changing back to human and waving a hand at her ripped clothes before pulling them back on. Damn, she needed to get a spell for this because she was getting annoyed.

* * *

"Where's your pup, Leah?" Jared asked once they were all human and he'd got his ripped jean shorts on and his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "Shouldn't he be here protecting you against a possible threat?"

"Are you a threat?" Leah asked, eyebrow raised as she looked him over. He rolled his eyes.

"Of course not, it was hypothetical anyway. I wouldn't have joined your Pack if I had an ulterior motive now, would I?"

"Who knows what goes on in that thick skull of yours," she murmured before exchanging an amused glance with Paul. "My pup, as you call him, is somewhere around here. You'll meet soon enough."

"Is it weird?" he asked curiously. Embry merely stared at him, praying to God that he'd shut up some time soon. "Having an imprint so young? I mean, Claire is young but it's different because she isn't a wolf and hasn't imprinted on Quil back."

Leah stared at him with a blank mask and Jared nodded.

"Okay," he said more to himself than anyone. "We're not at that level yet, that's cool."

They walked in comfortable silence as they drew nearer to the Cullen's house and when they saw it, Jared let out a low whistle. "Well, shit," he murmured. "I'd be as arrogant as them if I had a place like this."

"Why did you join if you're just going to be an arse?" Seth questioned, jogging ahead and entering the house before Jared could reply.

"Ready to meet your maker?" Leah asked, cackling. Jared stared at her, confused, before he heard the door open and he turned to see who it was. His eyes widened with shock when he saw the familiar witch.

"Hermione!" he gasped, a grin spreading across his face. "Am I surprised to see you or what?"

She stalked towards them and it wasn't until she got closer that he saw a gleam in her eyes that had him nervous.

"Cameron, I owe you this," she growled before pulling her arm back and then letting it surge forward, connecting with his nose and causing an extremely satisfying crunch. He cried out in pain, dropped his back and cradled his nose.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed, pinching the bone back in place before it set wrong and cursing even more at the sudden burst of pain. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"Oh darling," she murmured. "You're in so much shit."

* * *

**Angry Hermione makes me happy.**


	44. Chapter 44

**Glad I'm not the only one who likes angry Hermione. We'll be seeing more of her, I'm sure.**

* * *

"How the fuck did that not break your hand?" Jared howled, staring at the little witch in disbelief. "That's fucking crazy!" He turned to look at the rest of his Pack to see their faces all wit various degrees of amusement. "Oh. I get it now."

"You do?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised.

"Of course. You used a spell on your hand to give you extra strength and protected it from damage."

Hermione's hand smacked her forehead. "You're an idiot."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," she argued. "Look at our Pack." She held her arms wide, indicating the small group that was standing there; Seth was standing in the doorframe, munching on a burger. "Everyone is here."

"Can't be," Jared pointed out. "Leah's pup isn't here."

"Fucking hell," Paul gasped, shaking his head as he stared at his best friend. Hermione's face was turning red and none of them knew whether she was angry or trying not to laugh.

"I'm going to bite you," she told him bluntly before transforming into her small wolf form and lunging.

"Fucking hell!" Jared screamed, jumping away in a panic. Hermione carried on nipping at his heels, barking annoying between every snap. "You're Leah's puppy!" Her teeth connected with his leg and he yanked it back, grimacing at the pain as some blood welled from the marks. "But you can't be Leah's puppy. You're Paul's puppy? Hang on! How the hell are you a puppy anyway?"

Hermione stopped pestering Jared before running indoors where Seth explained that she was going to get something to change into since she just shredded her clothes because of his idiocy.

"How is this possible?" Embry asked, looking to his best friend and alpha. "It can't be."

"She has to have got the wolf gene somehow," Jacob confessed, looking uncomfortable since he knew how much she didn't want the outcome to be true. "It could be dating back further than we're imagining but either way, someone in her family wasn't loyal."

"And since she's part Swan and part Granger, being around this many vampires would've turned Bella sooner if it was the Swan side of things," Paul added.

"Her mum?" Embry asked, eyebrows raised in what could be perceived as shock or worry. "That's rough."

"No kidding," Leah snorted. "Finding out that the man you consider a dad isn't biologically and that your mum was unfaithful at one point in her relationship. I'd hate for that to be me."

The small Pack were silent until Hermione returned moments later and they acted as if the previous conversation didn't happen, even though she had heard every word and they'd known it, though it hadn't been at the front of their mind, since it was something they were still getting used to.

"So, did you imprint as well?" Jared asked, eyeing the look between his best friend and the witch. She nodded, wrapping her arms around Paul's waist. "How does that even work? Surely it causes problems?"

"How so?" Hermione asked, frowning with hurt.

"I don't mean it offensively," he reassured her. "But Paul, before you phased, was protective and worrying enough, that's what an imprint does. We're what you need but we put you above everyone else, even ourselves. We'd catch a grenade for you, take a bullet straight to the brain for you."

"Shut up quoting Bruno Mars," Leah snapped, her face turning to disgust before she decided that running patrol and being away from imprint talk was better and leaving.

"His point," Embry carried on, "Is that one imprint is sacrificing enough. The two of you, always willing to jump in front of the other, will probably cause problems."

"Let's not worry about that right now," Hermione muttered hastily. "You two will probably want some food or at least a place to rest. We'll talk strategy and worry about clashing lovers afterwards."

"Okay," Jared agreed, his stomach rumbling.

* * *

"You can go too," Rachel offered, sipping at her coffee dejectedly. Embry and Jared had only been gone two hours and weren't due to take over patrol for another two so they were still in the clear. "I know you want to."

"I do," Quil agreed, bobbing his head. "But, it's easier for you and Kim to let them go since you can understand the whole situation. It's easier for them to let you go since they know you can defend yourself but also because I'm here."

"So you can't leave because of Claire?"

Quil sighed, taking a huge bite out of his sandwich so he didn't have to answer straight away. "Partly," he admitted once he'd swallowed. "I see her almost everyday and I'm her big best friend. If I suddenly didn't turn up, she'd be sad and I'd feel that but she's so little and I know that she can't protect herself so it makes my wolf feel better that I'm closer to protect her. There also isn't another wolf around to protect all three imprints."

"What about Brady and Collin?"

He shrugged. "We don't know what they think. They're young and have no ties to the other Pack because they haven't got close enough to us yet since they're still so young and adjusting. This whole situation is too large for them and they're handling it like champs but I don't know how they'd cope if they had to worry about three imprints that weren't theirs."

"I forget how young they are. It's a grown up world for them to be in." Quil hummed his agreement. "You're all too young for this."

"Too young for Pack fights with brothers, yeah, but too young to be awesome wolves and killing vampires? Hell no!"

"You're a strange one."

* * *

"Sam?" Emily mumbled sleepily. "What are you still doing up?" He hadn't moved from the spot that he'd been in when she'd cooked up dinner and that was hours ago. The empty plate to his side showed that he actually had eaten, which was something she wasn't too sure would happen.

He was still staring out into the forest from his seat on the back porch and he didn't even turn to acknowledge her question.

"Sam, what's wrong? You're taking this hard."

"We were abandoned, Emily," he said through gritted teeth. "People I have trusted with my life, didn't trust my judgement and left."

"They have different views," she said, like she'd said the first two times. "They're closer if things go bad, as well. Surely that helps."

"I was their Alpha," he hissed. "That should've been what counted."

"Sam-"

"No, Emily," he interrupted. "They picked up and left to side with the leeches, creatures that they have complained about since the day they phased. That's not right!"

"Sam-"

"Stop trying to interrupt me, please," he begged, standing up and whirling to face her. "I have so much on my mind having you tell me that I should go to sleep and get some rest before I worry about it some more. Because I can't! I can feel in my gut that something bad is going to happen and is probably happening right now!"

Sam panted heavily, all his anger at the situation finally being let loose. He didn't know it was possible to shout at his imprint, although he supposed since he was shouting at her about her, then it made things slightly easier.

"You should go then," she told him, wrapping her robe around her tighter. "If you think something bad is happening, then you should gather your Pack and check things out. When has your gut been wrong before?"

Sam smiled slightly, only the right corner of his lips quirking at her. No wonder she was his; she understood his needs. He doubted any other imprint would allow their wolf to run off in the middle of the night.

"You're the best," he cried, rushing to her to give her a deep kiss. "I'm going to check in with Brady and Collin before picking Quil, Embry and Jared up." Emily chuckled slightly at the new life that Sam had suddenly received. He kissed her again before bounding off to phase, kicking his shorts off quickly before transforming into his wolf.

_"How are things?"_ he asked, seeming to appear in the middle of a conversation about food between the two young boys. It didn't surprise him too much, they were all known to think with their stomach.

_"They're quiet now,"_ Brady answered._ "Two of them ran out a while ago, we're just patrolling to wait for them to return."_

_"Why didn't you call?"_ Sam questioned, his Alpha mind taking lead. More paws on deck could've helped.

_"We're sorry, boss,"_ Collin apologised. _"But you said that you were taking a rest and that we were to take patrols until you guys came back."_

Sam sighed. He had said that. "_It's okay,"_ he told them._ "Do we have any idea why they left?"_

_"Hunger,"_ Brady guessed. "_There aren't a lot of animals in their house besides the other Pack and Bella and we all know how unappealing we are and they wouldn't hurt Bella."_

_"And only two of them left,"_ Collin continued. "_Which means they have to return and others have to leave. There isn't any other way back and forth, not without magic and Hermione's the only one they know who can do that and she's in England."_

_"So we have a definite chance of catching them, picking them off, one by one,"_ Sam concluded. _"I'll get the others. We need every hand on deck."_

He left the two of them, ordering them to carry on patrol before making his way to Jared's house which he arrived to quickly but was encountered with only Kim and his Mum, both of whom were sleeping. His scent led to the Black's residence where he knew Embry was and more than likely, Quil too.

Quil met him outside Jacob's garage and phased.

_"Everything good, Sam?"_

_"Couple of the Cullens have made a trip out. They're yet to come back and we could do with some extra hands. Where are Jared and Embry?"_

_"I'm not too sure,"_ Quil answered and Sam could smell the lie.

"_You do know, tell me where they are."_ Sam was impressed that Quil's mind didn't even flash to it, instead choosing to focus on Claire. Instantly his mind was swarmed with images of the little girl._ "I order you to tell me where they are."_

He resisted, Sam could see the war on his face and in his mind. Before Quil could reply, a loud howl erupted from the direction where he'd left Brady and Collin and then he pegged in on their conversation.

_"Sam,"_ Collin's panicked voice came. _"Jared and Embry were scented entering the Cullen's territory, in wolf form."_

_"They're not on our link,"_ Brady added. _"They joined the other Pack."_

Sam howled loudly, a howl that was filled with agony, anger and betrayal.

* * *

Hermione turned to Jared and Embry, handing them a drink before she plopped down onto Paul's lap and snuggled down to get comfy.

"Sounds like the wolf is out of the bag," she muttered, nuzzling Paul's neck. "Welcome to the dark side." She raised her drink in congratulations, smirking at them before taking a gulp as she tipped her head back. "We have cookies, and a lot of good food."

"And the better wolves," Paul added.

* * *

**What do you guys think of a Hermione/Stargate SG1 crossover? I've got an idea in the works and I want to know if people would be interested in seeing the two worlds combine. Let me know! **


	45. Chapter 45

_**So it's been a while. I went through a really antisocial stage where I was talking to nobody and was only writing for the sake of finishing challenges. I'm out of it now and slowly bringing myself back to normal by writing small works. This is the biggest thing I've written since.**_

* * *

"God, I've missed this," Paul mumbled, his face buried in her curls. Hermione stifled a laugh, her body arching against his as he moved. The bark against her back didn't even hurt her as she roughly moved up and down. "Everyone can be such cock-blocks."

"I'm surprised we haven't been cock-blocked now," she breathed, moaning when she finished speaking and he tweaked a nipple. "Jared can be such a pain in the ass."

"I threatened him," he admitted, tugging on her earlobe and hissing when she pulled on his hair. "He tried to get Emmett on side but you've got a friend in Blondie and she threatened him with no sex." He rolled his hips and caught a spot inside of her that caused her to tighten around him.

"Remind me, to beat Jared up," she panted, her nails digging into his back. Paul chuckled before thrusting faster and harder, their conversation dying away as they focused on reuniting their bodies. They'd been without sex for at least a whole day now.

"Do you think it's weird?" Hermione asked once they were pulling on clothes, the stench of sex and Paul's near constant arousal coating the surrounding air thickly. "That we can talk about other people whilst we're having sex like we did earlier?" she elaborated at his confused look.

He shrugged. "I don't think it's normal, but we're hardly in a situation where everything makes perfect sense. We're all wound up tight and we have so much on our minds that we were bound to do it. As long as you scream my name, and nobody else's, I don't see anything wrong with it."

She chuckled, pressed a kiss to his jaw before quickly jumping back to avoid his grasping hands.

"Nuh uh," she scolded playfully, wagging her finger from side to side. "We don't have time and Jared is bound to interrupt us if we try to carry on. He's jealous that he's not getting any, you see."

They both laughed loudly as they heard the echo of his outraged cry.

* * *

_"How is this possible?"_ Sam snarled, his large paws stomping on the ground in a wolf-like tantrum. "_Two leeches left, and they have no scent trails leading back!"_

_"Do you think they abandoned them?"_ Quil asked curiously. "_They maybe realised that they were in too deep and figured it would be better to leave?"_

_"No,"_ Brady answered, his furry head shaking. "_It was the doctor leech, I'm sure, so he'd be needed more than anyone and you know how much he loves Bella. They should be coming back."_

_"Who was the other?"_ Quil questioned, moving to sit down and resting his head on his front paws, his eyes following Sam's agitated movements.

"_The pixie,"_ Collin responded. "_She adores Bella. I can't see her ditching out either."_

_"The pixie is the Seer,"_ Sam growled. _"She knows we're waiting and is standing back, waiting for a clear path."_

_"But she's with the doctor,"_ Quil pointed out. "_The doctor is needed more than anyone if Bella is really as bad as it looks. They can't just hang out here and wait us out. They'd be putting Bella's life on the line."_

_"Do you think they had help?"_ Collin asked quietly, sitting next to Quil and leaning on him slightly. Quil didn't mind; it was nice to be looked upon as if he was the big brother and the source of comfort. _"Hermione would be able to get them in and out."_

_"Was Hermione there?"_ Quil asked, his head tilted. Brady shook his head in answer. "_Then she's still in England. Paul wouldn't have called her back. It's too dangerous."_

_"But she can defend herself,"_ Brady argued. _"And it makes sense. Hermione could take them anywhere in the world with just a click of her heels."_

_"If that's so, then why did they even need to leave their home, their territory? That is risking it,"_ Quil said.

_"To get us distracted,"_ Sam breathed, his body finally coming to a standstill. "_If they have a magical way of getting in and out, they only needed to show they left to keep us looking at a dead trail. We're sitting here, planning an attack, whilst they're still at home."_

_"You really think Paul would bring Hermione into this? When even he has no idea of how dangerous this baby could be?"_

_"Baby? Quil, it's not a baby. It's a thing, a monster. It needs to be put down."_

_"Sam, do you even hear yourself? We have no idea! We can't decide that when we don't know all the facts! It could be kind, intelligents or it could-"_

_"Could be a blood-thirsty creature that would rather see the world burn than learn algebra_," Sam snarled, interrupting Quil's defence. "_You're either with us, or against us. Choose."_

_"I'm in this Pack, and I'm the Beta and I'm telling you that this is wrong. But, I'll be in this Pack."_

_"You obviously side with my views more than theirs,"_ Sam pointed out smugly.

Quil stood up, a soft snarl coming from him. _"Or maybe it's because I have Claire over here instead of there and I promised Jared and Embry that I'd look after their imprints too. I'm not here for you Sam, and you better remember that."_

Quil closed himself off, not replying and not listening, his thoughts instead focusing on Claire. When his mind got onto her, it took very few things to shake it onto something else.

_"Sam,"_ Collin called quietly, not wanting to disturb their new Beta. _"I don't want to fight out friends."_

_"You're going to have to,"_ Sam told him harshly.

_"But surely they'll fight with us if it is dangerous,"_ Collin cried. _"Plus, if you think they've got Hermione, then we have no hope."_

_"Yeah,"_ Brady agreed. _"And what about the Pup?"_ Quil's mind faltered as he tuned in to listen to Sam's response.

_"He's Leah's imprint, and we shouldn't harm him but-"_

_"But? There is no 'but',"_ Quil growled. _"You're discussing the possibility of fighting our brothers and sister, and attacking an imprint whilst we're at it. You'll be breaking rule number one!"_

_"They're not our Pack anymore,_" Sam shouted, his hackles raised.

_"They're mine,"_ Quil said quietly, before his mind was no longer linked to theirs and he disappeared into the forest before they could even stop him.

_"He left?"_ Collin cried, moving to Brady for comfort since he knew he wouldn't get it from Sam. "_He actually left."_

_"He did,"_ Brady agreed, nuzzling his friend._ "Moments after telling us he wouldn't leave."_ The young wolf turned an accusing glare onto their Alpha. _"You pushed him away! You pushed Jared and Embry away and before we even began this petty fighting, you pushed Jake, Seth, Leah and Paul away! You're pushing a new member of the Pack away and we haven't even met him."_

Sam was breathing heavily, his gaze still focused on where Quil had disappeared.

_"What have I done?"_

* * *

_"No way!"_ Seth howled excitedly, bouncing over to embrace the new wolf that had joined them. Quil was just as excited, his tail wagging as if he was a puppy who'd been told that he could play fetch. _"What are you doing here?"_

_"I'll explain when everyone else is around,"_ Quil replied, nuzzling the younger boy. _"I'm just glad to be free."_

_"It's that bad?"_

Quil's mind flashed to the instances when Sam barked at him and ordered him around, his anger at this whole situation coming off of him in waves.

_"Damn, he's gone mad,"_ Seth concluded, walking comfortably beside him towards the Cullen's house. _"If we switch back now, either Jake or Paul will meet us afterwards."_

_"Both of us? That'll mean that nobody is on patrol. What if Sam attacks?"_

Seth chuckled, phasing back to human and pulling on his cut-offs whilst Quil followed suit.

"You'll find out about that later," Seth told him eerily, looking at him as if it was going to be a huge surprise and would entertain him for days. Quil had a faint idea already. "Hey, Jake! You'll never guess what the wolf dragged in."

Jake and Paul, as Seth had suggested, appeared out of nowhere and waited for the pair to arrive once they caught sight of them. Jacob embraced his best friend happily, squeezing him slightly and not even caring that his manliness was most likely in question.

"Quil, it is so good to see you. Though, I have to admit, we weren't expecting you."

"Sam crossed a line," he replied. "I'll tell the whole Pack but soon, he's gonna turn up and he'll be angry."

Jacob and Paul exchanged a look before the older of the two clapped Quil on the shoulder and steered him to the house.

"Come in," he offered. "Esme just cooked dinner and I tell you, for a vampire, she's an impeccable cook. I suggest we have Pack dinners here from now on."

"I won't say no to that," Esme answered, greeting the small group with an overloaded plate of food which she gave to Quil.

"I will," Emmett grumbled from his seat in front of the tele. "We won't be able to get the stench out of the upholstery for a century."

"Remind me to piss on your bed," Paul snarked, sitting down next to him and snatching the remote. "You'd think that at your age, you would be able to watch something decent, instead of this shit."

Quil exchanged a wide eyed glance with Jacob, who looked amused. Paul really had changed if he was this comfortable around leeches. He hadn't even called them leeches, Quil realised.

* * *

"It isn't a match," Carlisle murmured, closing the folder which held the results and placing it on his desk. "I'm not sure whether to apologise or not."

"It doesn't matter what you give," Hermione told him. "That's only one out of a few that I'm yet to test." She ran a hand through her hair, hissing when it got caught on a knot. "I'm dreading every result."

"May I ask how you even got Jared's blood?"

"Bit him," she responded bluntly. "When he first arrived." Carlisle nodded. "I can't attack everyone though."

"You could just ask them for a blood sample."

"What? And tell them, 'hey, I don't think my mum was faithful to her husband and who'd like to find out that they have a sister?'" She laughed without humour. "I don't even know what I'm going to do when I find out who my real dad is, let alone how my newfound family is going to react."

* * *

_**Hello new followers, I like reviews where you tell me what you liked, what you possibly disliked, what you would like to see and what other pairings you'd want me to write as well as other xovers. I love ideas.**_


	46. Chapter 46

_**So I wrote some Criminal Minds/Hermione drabbles the other day, and I'm debating whether to upload them. They've only spurred my imagination on to write more things but I suppose I should've expected that.**_

* * *

"You don't seem surprised," Hermione noticed as she pulled back from her hug with Quil when she greeted him. "Jared practically had a heart attack when he realised I was the _Pup_." She glared at said shifter when she hissed her new nickname. He grinned back at her.

"We'd already figured it out," he shrugged. He noticed the shocked looks from Jake and Embry and scowled. "I can be smart," he defended. "Just because I'm not book smart, doesn't mean I'm not wolf smart."

He said it as if it made perfect sense.

"Anyway," he stated, bringing attention back to the matter on hand. "We were waiting for Doc and Pixie to come back from their hunt but Sam was getting agitated and we don't know how long it takes to eat a bunch of deer when you're only draining them dry, but we knew something was wrong and then we pondered about other routes back to the house."

"They could've took a different route home," Hermoine pointed out.

"They did. Apparation." He smiled at her, chuckling gently. "We'd been running patrols anyway but we still knew and when we regrouped, Collin or Brady, I can't remember now, brought you up about your ways of travel and then we realised it was a diversion and Sam went all mental and I decided to leave the Pack."

He rounded it off quickly and the rest of his new Pack could sniff out his attempt at hiding something.

"It actually wasn't a diversion," Hermione admitted. "I wanted to see who was on patrol and how things were going down in case something went down."

"Wait," Paul called loudly, his hands raised as if he could quiet everyone with them. "You left the wards?" he asked Hermione, pointing at her. "And you knew just because some vampires didn't return home before curfew?" he questioned, his other hand pointing at Quil.

"I'm confused," Seth confessed.

"They were hungry and needed to eat eventually, so Carlisle and Alice left and I went with them so I could apparate them back and take the others there so they could have their turn at eating. I didn't tell you because you'd freak out and you're proving my point."

Paul glared at her but slouched in his seat and crossed his arms.

"And we figured it was a diversion and were discussing why it took so long for them to come back. Sam first thought they were waiting for a clear path, what with Pixie being a Seer but then we figured magic was at play and then Sam freaked out."

"Yes, Sam freaked out," Jacob commented, leaning back in his seat and crossing his outstretched legs thoughtfully. "What did he say?"

"He didn't say anything," Quil deflected.

The Pack stared at him for a beat, where he fidgeted silently, before Jared exhaled loudly.

"He threatened an imprint," he guessed. All eyes snapped to Quil who nodded, looking a mixture of angry and dejected. "He really is angry about all of this."

"He's used to control and power," Hermione commented, thinking about how Dumbledore hadn't really helped in the war because he was used to things his way. Secrecy really wasn't a good plan. "He's literally had his whole recent life turned up on its head. First he phases, his love life gets upturned and now he's got a bunch of wolves who he considers brothers, ranging from twenty one to twelve in age and then he has to deal with vampires, a vampire loving human and then a witch, as well as a human pregnant with a vampire's baby and half of his brothers leaving because they don't trust his judgement. I think I'd turn desperate too."

"No, you wouldn't," Leah argued. "But you hold a good point; Sam's feeling left out."

"That was not what I was getting at," Hermione frowned. "But I guess you could see it like that. I'm just saying that he's not thinking straight and I'm betting that he hasn't slept either which means his decisions are becoming even more wilder and soon he'll realise he's gone wrong."

"You think so?" Jacob checked. Hermione nodded.

"He's a Pack of three," Hermione said. "He used to be a Pack of ten. Even he can't see the odds being that great."

* * *

The stag appeared before her when she was coming out of the bathroom and she was quite surprised that this turned up instead of him, but she knew that he didn't jump into things blindly anymore. Not always.

* * *

"That's for me," Hermione shouted, running down the stairs and trying to snatch the phone from the table before it started ringing. She wasn't quick enough and Emmett picked up the silent contraption, looking at it before looking at her with a confused look.

It started ringing and he almost dropped it in shock.

"I thought Alice was the Seer," he muttered before pressing the answer button and holding it to his ear. "Hello?" He ignored Hermione's crossed arms and jutted hip and focused on the voice he was speaking to. "Hermione? Yeah, she's right here."

He passed the witch the phone which she snatched from him without a thank you.

"Harry," she greeted. "Is everything okay?"

"I think I should be asking you that," he muttered. Hermione could almost sense his glare. "You can't just send me a patronus, tell me you aren't coming home and then send another patronus to Remus and request a whole bunch of books on magical creatures, vampires and babies."

"Of course I can," she scoffed. "I did just that."

"I know you did," he practically shouted. "And then you don't even speak to us for a couple of days? Do you know the horrid images I've been thinking up?"

"No," she drawled, extending the vowel. "And I'm not quite sure I want to."

"Hermione," he sighed and she knew he was pinching the brigde of his nose. "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you," she acquiesed. "But you have to promise that you don't come rushing over, wand bared and your mind focused on a fight."

"Hermione!"

"Okay, okay," she chuckled, pulling a chair out at the table and sitting down. "My cousin got knocked up and now the Pack has split."

"You're giving me a really run down version and I hate it. Hang on. Your cousin married a vampire."

"She did," Hermione agreed, wincing for Harry's oncoming shout. She didn't expect his annoyed sigh.

"I trust you," he admitted. "I trust you so much and that is the only reason I'm over here and not there right now."

"You're staying in England?" she checked, eyes wide. She didn't believe it.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Merlin knows why but I am. I know there is more to the story but if you're telling me that you're not in danger and I'm not needed, then I'm staying here. It's a good thing we have your memories and a memory testimony for all these court trials that I'm going to."

"I'm sorry I couldn't come," she whispered, resting her head on her hand. "But I couldn't leave, not when this is happening." She paused. "I also couldn't leave when I'm being dragged out of my room by a large vampire."

"Hermione, you really aren't helping my decision to stay at home." She laughed loudly and could feel his answering grin. "I've got bad news though."

"What?" she answered, jerking up straight in her seat as her humour faded quickly. "Is everyone okay?"

"Oh yeah," he answered. "However, we're not all in England anymore."

"Well, Charlie probably has gone back to Romania and maybe Bill went back to Egypt but I don't see how that's bad." She was praying that he didn't say what she thought he was going to say.

"The twins aren't in England. They're heading to you."

"Fred and George?" she gasped. "I thought you were going to say Ron or worse, Molly, but the twins? What on Merlin's Earth are they doing coming over here?"

"You're their little sister, 'Mione," he chuckled. "You think that they're just going to sit back here when you're dealing with a fight? You know how they can't miss out."

"But I just said I was fine. Surely they only just left otherwise I'd have heard something sooner."

"You did, they did. They don't listen to you and they never did." Hermione growled and dropped her head to the table. "Hermione did you just-?" He sighed. "Nope. All my questions will be answered when you return to England with Paul after this is done and dusted. You hear me?"

"Yes, Harry," she muttered, her voice muffled. "I've got to go and prepare for Fred and George."

His laughter was all she heard before she hung up, almost breaking the phone.

* * *

"Ouch," Quil hissed, glaring at the knife that he'd been chopping some food with. He'd been helping Hermione prepare something for their Pack and he'd been distracted with their conversation to notice the knife getting too close to his finger. Even with supernatural sight, speed, healing, smell and skill, he was still a world class idiot.

"You're an idiot," Hermione confirmed, getting a paper towel to wipe the blood from his finger and they both watched the minute cut heal itself into a faint pink line before it returned to unblemished skin. "You should focus on what you're doing."

"You were telling me about Fred and George and what I have to do to be safe," he cried, trying to defend himself. "I can't focus on a knife and your words."

"Try," she told him, resting the bloody paper towel on the table, instead of throwing it in the bin. "You need to be able to focus on two things at once when those troublemakers turn up. Start now."

Emmett discreetly snatched the paper towel and left the room to Carlisle's office.

* * *

"Billy, what's she like?" Peter asked, drinking deeply from his beer and not turning to look at his old friend and tribe Elder. "She's got to be something for my Paul to imprint on her."

"She is," Billy Black agreed. "You'll meet her soon. The Gods couldn't have picked a better partner for your son."

"She's got to be able to hold her own against him, and I bet she has a temper all of her own to match Paul's."

"It's like you already know her."

* * *

_**A lot of ideas going around about Hermione's heritage, makes me smile at every one of them. I'm neither saying yes or no. **_


	47. Chapter 47

**This is just a short, mismatched chapter to bring me back. I've read all of your lovely comments, and chose to take a break from the website. I'm feeling so much better and I'm ready to return to this website and its lovely people. I'll be replying to your comments once this is posted. Thank you all so much for sticking by me.**

* * *

"She's going to be so mad," Fred pointed out, smiling thankfully at the Ministry worker who had just finished with their portkey, before turning to face his twin. "She's going to hex us so bad."

"We live for adventure," George replied, though even he looked slightly worried at the possible outcome of their imminent arrival. "Although, I don't know if we live for the amount of adventure that comes with Hermione."

"Of course we do," Fred scoffed. "Vampires and shifters? Sounds dangerous."

"We'll love it!" George grinned.

"After we've received the hexing of a lifetime," Fred added with a slight gulp. George would deny it, but even he had sweat beading on his forehead from the idea of Hermione hexing them.

* * *

"So, the Twins," Jacob started, sitting next to her in the garden, their eyes firmly on the Cullen's home. "What are they like?"

"Like Quil but worse," she answered. "Quil loves jokes but these two own a joke shop. They win."

"Two wizards who specialise in pranks are coming here? How will that help us?"

"Honestly Jake?" Hermione said. "I don't know how anything can help us at the moment. There is no wizarding knowledge of wizard-human hybrid children, our army is a bunch of vegetarian vampires and a pack of wolves who are homeless and have instincts that make us want to kill nearly everyone in that home despite us knowing them and we have no idea what is going to happen when the Volturi find out."

"I take it they're just coming along for the ride, then?"

"Not really. They're loyal and overprotective and I guess they're coming to make sure I don't die. They are fierce fighters and know many different ways to make your life miserable. If something does go wrong, I'll be glad that we've got them on our side."

* * *

"Esme, would you please calm down?" Emmett asked, his attention barely being dragged away from the television that he was watching with Bella. "They're still human."

"Yes, I know that," she snapped, showing a temper that was so very unlike Esme. "But do wizards still eat like humans?"

Emmett snorted loudly and even Bella grinned broadly, something which looked extremely alien on her. "I mean, they could eat upside down..."

"Don't start with me, Emmett," Esme warned before tutting and looking around the room. "Oh, are you sure they'll eat what we have?"

"Hermione's a witch, Esme," Bella said. "And unless you've forgotten, she's eaten everything that you've dished to her."

"She has, hasn't she?" Esme replied, calming down instantly. "So they don't have any food or drink that is different from humans?"

"Of course we do," Hermione snorted, walking through the door and rubbing her hand on Bella's head, disturbing her neatly set hair. "We have cauldron cakes and chocolate frogs and sugar quills and liquorice wands and butterbeer and firewhiskey and ooh... I really fancy a pumpkin pasty."

Esme blinked at her before her face instantly transformed into worry again.

"But don't worry! Anything magical, they'd have already brought with them or they can buy it easily from the small place in Seattle."

Esme seemed to calm down after that, though she'd argue that she still bustled around the kitchen in a worrying state later on.

* * *

"Paul is the fastest wolf, as much as I hate to admit it," Leah commented. "And it helps that he has such anger for leeches. Even though we all hate them, he seems to hold more hate."

"He is fast," Embry agreed. "Seth has the best hearing out of all of us."

"Pardon?" Seth called, a hand cupping his ear. Embry rolled his eyes and threw a rock at the young shifter. "You have the best sight. You can see things further away and clearer than any of us."

"What about me?" Quil asked eagerly, bouncing in his seat. "What am I the best at?"

"Being a moron?" Leah drawled.

"Shut up," he pouted. "It's unfair that everyone is good at something. Even you, Leah, are the best at hand to hand fighting out of all of us."

"Won't do me much good in a fight with a leech now though, will it?"

"What? Hold up. Leah is not the best hand to hand fighter," Jared argued. "Hermione is better, by far."

"Hermione?" Seth said. "No, I don't see it."

"Have you ever seen her fight?" Embry checked. Seth shook his head in the negative. "Then you can't say she isn't. Before she was a shifter, she was good, now, she's probably better."

"Let's see who is best once and for all," Quil cried. "Have them fight. To the death." The Pack shot him looks and he smiled sheepishly. "Or till the first person cries mercy!"

"I'm game," Leah shrugged. "Where's Hermione?"

"Talking with Paul," Jared answered. "They're discussing spells or something magical. I don't understand any of that lingo."

"Shouldn't we let Jake know?" Seth asked, looking slightly concerned.

"Nah," Quil snorted. "He'd only try to stop it, just so he could protect Hermione."

"We'll wait for her to finish her magic talk and then we'll do it."

* * *

"-But I'm still missing a key component to the spell," Hermione complained as she walked round the side of the house. "I can repair the clothes, easily but making them disappear onto the body whilst shifted is hard."

"Can't you just zap it into a pocket?" Paul asked, swinging their joined hands.

"Where's the pocket?" she countered. "If we were to carry a bag for the clothes to go in all the time then we might as well stay with how we're doing things now."

"And there's nothing in your books?"

"No," she groaned, thumping her head against his shoulder. "I need help." She gasped and pulled her head back sharply. "I've never asked for help before. How do you do it? Oh Merlin, my reputation is doomed."

"Hermione, love, calm down," he reassured her, stopping their walk to grab her shoulders. "We'll just have to contact some spell inventing experts to give you a hand. Some that actually enjoy a challenge."

She nibbled her bottom lip and he bent forward to nibble it for her.

"We've got some already coming," she said once they broke apart. "Fred and George have invented so many things for their joke shop; spells, potions, spells _and _potions in one. They'll love the idea of this."

"Then we just have to wait till they arrive." They resumed their walk to where the rest of the Pack were sitting. "You know, I think I'd feel more comfortable having those two helping you than some strangers. At least they understand the way you work and why we need it. Family work better."

"Yeah," she mused, only half listening as the other half of her hearing was spent trying to make out the words that the Pack were saying as they drew nearer.

"_Shouldn't we let Jake know?" Seth asked, looking slightly concerned. _

"_Nah," Quil snorted. "He'd only try to stop it, just so he could protect Hermione."_

"_We'll wait for her to finish her magic talk and then we'll do it."_

"Do what?" Hermione shouted, gaining their attention.

"Have a fight," Jared replied.

"Who?"

"Us," Leah said. "The boys are split on who is the better fighter in human form."

"Hermione," Paul interjected, "is better by far." The girls rolled her eyes.

"When are we doing this?" she asked instead.

"Now, if you want to." Leah shrugged, not too bothered.

"Rules?"

"No magic, no shifting," Embry suggested. "First one to cry mercy loses and the other must release and step back immediately."

* * *

"You don't think Quil is going to get a boner over this, do you?" Hermione asked, curious. Leah chuckled and shot her a wink, before bouncing back on her feet and bending her fingers to indicate that she got first swing. "Not even a bow to show good etiquette?"

"Where did you learn to fight?" she asked, shocked.

"England," Hermione answered. "We have manners over there." The smile on her face took any bite of her words away.

"Manners? What are they?" Leah questioned, smirking at her Pack mate, and dare she say it, friend.

"Don't worry, I'll teach them to you, just after I finish teaching you how to fight."

"Fighting words," Leah laughed, "I love it. Can you back it up?"

"Let's just say my bark _isn't _worse than my bite."

**I'd like to contribute more to this particular fandom, and for you all as an apology. So I'll be doing a collection of ten chapters, all one hundred words, but a different pairing each chapter. Please, submit the pairings you want to see and the top ten will be used. **


	48. Chapter 48

The fight between Hermione and Leah was evenly matched; both managed to get in hits, and both managed to manoeuvre themselves out of a tight spot. Neither of them had spilt blood until a lucky kick from Hermione connected with Leah's jaw.

The pair paused as Leah spat out a combination of blood and saliva, before grinning at her opponent.

"This means war," she warned.

"Oh, does that mean you're finally going to try?" Hermione asked, blinking her eyelids at her innocently. She laughed at Leah's growl before moving to the left to avoid an angry lunge.

"Man," Quil groaned, "this is really hot."

"Finish this, Hermione," Embry demanded. "Before Quil starts to wank."

"Hey!"

Hermione laughed rolling with the kick to her ribs so she could minimise her pain and shot Leah a smirk. "You heard the boy. I've got to finish this."

Leah scoffed, and that was her downfall.

Hermione performed an intricate series of lunges and feints, punches and kicks that ended with Leah on her back, dazed. This is where Quil would've taken the opportunity to make a sex joke, and with the expression on her face, it was almost a given. Hermione, Jared and Seth even looked at the boy and waited for one, but he was way too shocked to be coherent.

"That's my girl," Paul hollered, whooping loudly and clapping hands with Embry. "That is my _girl!" _

Hermione laughed at his volume and excitement as she reached down to pull Leah to her feet.

"That was a good match," Hermione observed, "You aren't too bad of a fighter."

"I could do with some teaching," she admitted. "That was incredible."

"I've got you," the witch reassured.

"But not now," Paul interjected. "Because we're about to have sex."

"Seriously?" Quil complained. "That's not even fair. Can I at least watch?" The two started arguing, loudly and comically, which is probably the reason that they didn't smell a Cullen get closer to their group. Or, it could be because they were so used to these particular scents since they were living with it all day and night.

"Esme has prepared a feast if any of you are hungry," Carlisle said. Quil was the first to move, carrying on his argument - which had travelled to the better peanut butter - as he jogged to the house. Paul paused for a second, shot Hermione puppy dog eyes before following after his Pack mate. After that, the whole group seemed to leave until it was just Hermione and Carlisle.

She wordlessly accepted his swab as she bent to swipe it through the glob that Leah had spat out earlier. He silently accepted and pocketed it, before walking to the house with her.

* * *

Hermione groaned and rubbed a hand down her face.

"Hermione, if you just told them, it wouldn't hurt. They were your friends first, now they're your Pack. From what we've seen and from what I know from reading your books, that makes them your family."

"Carlisle, I just don't want to ask. I can't explain why without it seeming like a ridiculous answer, but this is like a quest. A quest to find myself."

"Even King Arthur had Merlin by his side when he went on quests," Carlisle pointed out. "You don't have to do this alone."

"I'm not," she argued. "You're doing it with me." He didn't glare, but the unamused look that he threw at her, gave her chills. "So, I'm not an Ataera, or a Clearwater. I think we can wipe out being a Lahote and I'm not a Cameron."

"That leaves you with the Blacks, Uleys, Calls and Littleseas."

"The Littlesea family didn't bring the twins down to La Push until seven years ago from the Makah tribe. My mum never went up that far so I'm seventy percent sure we can wipe them out. Calls, well, Embry never knew his Father and he's been in this position for all his life so I can't determine my Father from him."

"So, Jacob or Sam," Carlisle finished.

* * *

"Hey Doc," Jacob greeted awkwardly, standing in the doorway of Carlisle's office. "I have a note for you."

"A note?"

"Yeah. Ears can't listen to what is on paper." Carlisle quirked an eyebrow in curiosity and accepted the paper, unfolding it with a flick of a finger and reading the words.

"I think we can do that," the vampire admitted.

* * *

"Hermione," Rosalie greeted, the normally confident vampire looking extremely uncomfortable. That paired with her black eyes meant that she was asking Hermione for a trip to the feeding grounds.

"Rosalie," Hermione replied, smiling gently. "Are you hungry enough to go now?"

"I'm famished," she admitted, chuckling awkwardly.

"I could've taken you sooner," she said, moving to grab her phone and wand, before sitting down on a seat to pull on her trainers.

"Yeah, I know, but I wanted to make sure Bella was going to be looked after; that nobody was going to try and get rid of the baby without her consent."

"Bella has made it clear that she wants this baby. I couldn't kill it even though I mentioned it. It would hurt my cousin."

"Yes, I know, but with Edward just as enamoured with the baby, I can finally feed."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"Just now. He can read some of the baby's thoughts. At first he thought it was Bella but it's their child."

"That's incredible!" Hermione breathed, shocked. "If Edward is on board with the baby now, that means that…" She trailed off as Jacob entered the room, his face locked in one of pure anger, before storming out of the room and slamming the door. "Oh, Jake."

"Yeah," Rosalie agreed. "The mutt doesn't have anyone in his corner now." Hermione cleared her throat, and the blonde rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Can I eat now?"

* * *

"Hermione isn't in England," Charlie huffed, leaning back in the armchair and gulping at more beer. "I called her home phone a dozen times and she hasn't picked up."

"So, maybe you've always called when she's been out," Billy reasoned.

"Possibly, but I also left messages."

"Maybe she's staying with a friend."

"Nope. She told me that because she was taking Paul, she was going to stay at her family home so he was more comfortable."

"So, maybe she's ignoring you," Peter theorised.

"I'd believe that if it wasn't for Bella falling ill." He took another gulp of beer, acted as if he didn't notice the look that his friends exchanged before carrying on. "I also called a buddy of mine, from England."

"Charlie, you had her checked up on?"

"Yeah, of course I did!" he said. "Nobody has been in that house for months," he finished. "She didn't go to the place she was needed for. She had trials to go to. Which leaves me with only one conclusion."

"Yeah?"

"She eloped," Charlie declared. Billy and Peter exchanged looks of disbelief. "She knows how I feel about marriage, especially with Bella's not long ago. So she eloped." He hid his smirk behind his beer bottle before cooling his expression. "It's that or vampires."

He mentally laughed at Billy's shock.

* * *

**I always thought it was stupid how Charlie couldn't tell that there wasn't anything more to Forks, especially since he grew up with Billy and must've heard the stories in passing. Plus, he's Chief of Police and if you're telling me he never noticed the bite on her wrist? You've got to be kidding! **


	49. Chapter 49

"So, I was thinking-"

"That's always dangerous," Paul interrupted. He chuckled at Embry's huff of indignation before rolling over from where they were lounging on the grass so that he was on his side and could look at the younger wolf. "What's up?"

"Hermione has no idea where she got the wolf gene from." Paul hummed a sound of acknowledgement. "Neither do I."

Paul sat up abruptly, his eyes narrowed in on the other shifter.

"What are you trying to say?"

"What if we've got the same gene history? What if we're related?"

Paul was silent and stared at Embry. The emotions flickered across his face faster than Embry could catalogue. Contemplative, curiosity, sadness, pity.

"I'm onto something, aren't I?"

"You think that your parent, your mystery father, is the same man to have fathered Hermione?"

"Yeah," Embry said, looking down at his lap sheepishly. Paul was silent for a bit longer and Embry chuckled awkwardly. "You're right. It's stupid, it's-"

"Got to be true," Paul interjected. "It has to be. It makes sense."

"It does?" Embry puffed up his chest. "I mean, it does. Of course it does." His shoulders sagged and he looked back at his friend. "I'm still in the same position however. No idea who my dad is."

"Well, we can narrow it down now that you've imprinted. You aren't related to Jacob since you've imprinted on his sister."

"That doesn't really narrow it down," Embry pointed out.

"So we'll have to figure out how to narrow it down on our own."

* * *

"Jacob," Carlisle called, gaining the attention of the wolf, and the pack, and the coven and the human, and the witch. "May I speak to you in my office for a moment, please?"

"Sure thing, Doc."

Everyone watched with curiosity as their Alpha followed the vampire up the stairs into his study, shutting the door behind them as if it was going to make a difference.

"What do you need me for?"

"I have a note for you. That doesn't have ears."

"Already? I asked only yesterday."

"I have my own equipment, I don't need to take breaks, I'm also a vampire." Carlisle smiled gently as he handed over the note. Jacob exhaled. Carlisle couldn't tell if it was with relief or disappointment.

"Have you told anyone else about this?"

"I didn't think you wanted me to."

"No. No, not yet. Here, can you run this for me?" Jacob scrawled some words on the note before passing it over. "And I'll let one of them know what I asked for."

"I'm going to need-"

"I'll get it."

* * *

"_I need some blood," _Jacob told Embry as the two of them were patrolling.

"_Oh my God!" _Embry exclaimed. "_I didn't think it was possible for the Cullens to rub off on you."_

"_Shut up," _he groaned. "_I had myself tested by Carlisle to see if I was a match for Hermione." _Embry's silence was telling. "_You've thought the same thing, haven't you?" _

"_I spoke to Paul about it. We're both genetic loose ends. Maybe we're linked."_

"_If you give some blood to Carlisle, we can see if you're related." _

"_But not who are DNA donor is," _Embry finished with a disappointed sigh. "_I'll do it though. For the both of us." _

* * *

"I blame you," Fred snapped, frustrated.

"And I blame you," George returned. "Either way, we're here now."

"How can you tell?"

"Her wards are just ahead," George pointed out. "They aren't made to block us out or hide something, however, just preventative measures."

"Which means she's on the down low with violent enemies," Fred finished. "Eugh, why is our adoptive sister much more fun than our real one?"

"Don't let Ginny hear you say that, because then she'll show you the real meaning of fun." They were silent as they walked forwards and passed over the edge of the wards seamlessly. "But it's true."

"Aha!" he exclaimed, pointing at his one-eared twin. "I knew it."

"Do shut up Gred."

"No can do Forge."

* * *

Jacob and Embry eyed the two gingers as they walked onto their territory and noticed the unfamiliar clothing and the wands in their hands.

"_The twins?" _Embry asked. They matched the description Hermione had provided them, and even the image she'd showed them in their heads but they were also aware of how people can pretend to be someone in her world.

"_Call for Hermione. We'll have her check."_

Embry threw back his head and howled, startling the two wizards to a standstill. The rest of the Pack popped into the conversation and Hermione confirmed that it was them, but that she'd apparate to their location.

One loud crack later and she was by his side, running her fingers through his fur as she walked towards the pair.

"Boys," she greeted. "How mad is your Mother?"

"She thinks we're checking out a location in Seattle for a new shop," one twin offered. Embry couldn't see a difference to identify them, at his angle.

"And which one of you was it that I made out with under the mistletoe?" Both of the Twins smirked and Embry heard Paul's complaints and growls in his head.

"Me," they both piped up before spinning and staring at the other with wide eyes. "No way. You?" It impressed both Embry and Jacob that they could speak entirely in sync.

"Correct," she answered.

"Both of us?" one asked, and from his movement, Embry could see a gap where an ear should be. This one was George.

"When?" the other asked.

"Fifth year, at Grimmauld Place," she said, pointing to George. "And Sixth Year at the Burrow," she added, pointing to Fred.

"Hermione-"

"-Granger."

"You're incredible!" They both lunged forward and pressed a kiss at the same time, on either side of her cheek.

"Paul is a lucky lad," Fred added, before slinging his arm over her shoulders and moving to make her walk with him on the way towards the house.

* * *

"So, what've we got?" George asked, twirling his wand in circles.

They'd made it back to the Cullen's house and they'd been introduced to everyone, immediately mucking around with Quil and Emmett, flirted with Rosalie and Leah, shook hands solemnly with Jacob and hugged Paul. Seth and Jared were doing a rough and basic patrol.

"Human married to a vampire and pregnant, animal drinking vampires with no place to go and have to be escorted by myself, a rival Pack who used to be this Pack with only three wolves, this Pack who are currently homeless and a witch who is also a shifter."

Fred fell off his chair. George choked on his drink.

"It sounds busy when you word it like that," Jasper pointed out.

"I suppose fighting wolves and feeding vampires isn't that much of a chore," Fred commented from his position on the floor.

"But we're getting an explanation for your wolf status," George added.

"Naturally," Hermione shrugged.

"So, that's everything then," Fred said, dusting the seat of his trousers. "We can do this."

"Actually, I need your help with a spell."

George pinched the bridge of his nose.

* * *

**Hello! It's been a while. I've been caught up in Christmas, New Year, sales, job interviews, illnesses and plans for this so I've finally managed to push out a small chapter. I have a few things to say:**

**1) Are we happy with this being a long story? I've imagined four/five parts, two to finish Breaking Dawn, and a fifth to show what happens after the confrontation. **

**2) We've almost reached, 600 reviews, 500 favourites and 800 follows. Thank you everyone!**


	50. Chapter 50

"Which one is that?" Seth breathed, eyes wide as he stared at the tall, ginger wizard. Hermione had introduced them when he came off of patrol, but the moment he locked eyes with him, everything zoned out.

"That's George," his sister replied quietly. "Why?"

"He's-" Seth's breath caught in his throat when the older man smiled. "He's perfect."

Leah stared at her brother closely, analysing his every facial expression before she made a startled noise. It drew the attention of the surrounding Pack, vampires and therefore the wizards since everyone else turned.

"I can't believe it," she said. Part of her twinged with jealousy, seeing how everyone was just so sickeningly happy with their imprints, and she wanted that, but the rest was so _fucking _happy for her brother. "You imprinted," she accused.

Seth lowered his eyes, blushing lightly. He looked at George from beneath his lashes before looking away again. It was a move that didn't go unnoticed.

"Imprinted? Isn't that what happened to you Hermione?"

"Yeah," she said slowly, staring at Seth. "George, Seth, why don't we go have a conversation somewhere else?"

"Sure," George agreed, confusion still coating his voice. Seth nodded and remained silent, but followed the magical pair as she led them to a bench under a tree. They both sat down and she stood in front of them, before apparating away and leaving the two alone.

"That was a quick conversation," Fred pointed out when she came back to the group.

She scoffed. "I'm not getting involved in that. Seth should've had the time to get to know George all on his own but with everything that is going on and the underlying worry, we can't afford for him to be unnecessarily distracted. Besides, I know from experience that it is quicker to get it over and done with than waiting for weeks."

Paul looked into the trees nonchalantly, but everyone could see the blush on his cheeks.

* * *

"So, imprinting," George started, scratching the back of his neck. "'Mione explained it a bit when she visited with Paul. It doesn't always have to end with a romantic relationship," he commented, but the way he ended it made it sound like a question.

"No, Quil, he imprinted on a toddler. For him it just being a big brother, guardian, best friend. As long as she's safe and happy, then that is all that matter."

"I take it you imprinted on me."

Seth exhaled. "Yeah, I did." He looked at George. "Is that okay?"

"Okay?" George laughed. "If it wasn't, it wouldn't give me much of a choice but I am okay with it." George paused and Seth kept silent, seeing that he was needing to say something. "I'm gay," he finally came out with. "And Hermione told us about the Pack and I know you're way too young and honestly, I don't even look at you and think sex." A corner of his lips quirked up into a smirk. "Well, not all the time."

Seth laughed.

"But we can be friends. And if you grow to decide to that you want to be in a relationship with me, then we'll take it from there."

"I thought that I was supposed to be the most understanding and patient."

"Probably," he shrugged, "but I'm older and more mature."

"You run a joke shop," Seth pointed out. "I think that means I'm more mature."

"You imprinted on me for a reason. It probably means you're just as immature."

Seth grinned.

* * *

"Right," Fred started gaining the group's attention as they sat around a fire. The vampires were doing odd things indoors with Carlisle tottering around in his office, Esme cooking a bunch of food for the never ending stomachs that now lived with her, Edward and Rosalie were flitting around Bella, Emmett was watching football, Jasper was reading and Alice was sorting out a new wardrobe for Hermione. "I have questions and I want answers."

"I bet," Hermione replied, motioning her hand to indicate that he had the floor.

"You're a wolf now," he pointed out. "How is that possible?"

"We don't have a confirmed reason just yet," she said. Her tone indicated that she wanted the conversation to shift onto a different subject but Jacob made a distressed noise.

"That isn't true. Come on, Hermione. You're a wolf because it is in your DNA. One of your parents had the gene and it passed down to you. With your frequent exposure to the Cullens, the change was triggered, especially with the emotional upheaval of Bella's pregnancy."

"Parents? Gene?" George asked. He stared at the witch, his sister, and his face turned pitying which made her clench her jaw. "From your Mum or Dad?"

"I think we all know which one," she answered with a snap. "Nobody can come out and say it. My Mum cheated on her faithful and devoted husband and created me."

"It wasn't my Dad," Jacob told her. The Pack stared at their Alpha, startled and jaws agape.

"I hate to point this out, Jake, but it could be. Embry is in the same boat as me and let's be honest, there aren't a bunch of men that it could be."

"You're right," he agreed. "But I had Carlisle check my blood against yours."

Hermione's face settled into a blank mask as she stared at her oldest friend, her brother in apparently all but blood.

"It isn't my Dad, and I feel sick that I'm both relieved and disappointed. I wanted you to be my sister, but I didn't want my Dad to have cheated."

"I understand," she said softly. Her smile was sweet and he didn't feel too bad about going behind her back to get the results.

"Wait, hold up," Jared blurted loudly, disturbing the soft peace that had settled over the group. "You had a test done? To see it Hermione was your sister?" Jacob nodded. "I want to do it."

"Me too," Seth added.

"And me," Quil piped up.

"I better not," Paul muttered. "Don't want to give myself nightmares if it ends up positive."

Hermione laughed and pressed a kiss to his dimple.

"Carlisle is already running mine," Embry said.

The Pack were silent for a moment before most eyes shifted to Leah.

"What?" she scowled. "If Seth is being tested, then I hardly see why I have to be tested. We're siblings after all." The men looked sheepish, Seth more than most. "But come on then Granger, let's all head to the good doc and have this test done."

Hermione blushed and looked away from the group, her hands scrunching the hem of her top nervously.

"About that," she started before clearing her throat. She glanced at the group before quickly looking into the flames so she didn't have to look at anyone. "I've already done a test for most of you."

They were silent for a beat, before Jacob spoke for the group.

"Done a test for who?"

"Leah, and by extension Seth, Quil, and Jared." She flicked her eyes to her imprint, praying to see anything but disappointment. She was relieved when his warm eyes settled on her in return, a smile on his lips.

"And I take it they're all negative?"

"Obviously," she drawled, rolling her eyes. Fred and George stifled their laughter at her wonderful Snape impression. "I hadn't got round to getting blood from you and Embry but even if Embry's come back with a match, that doesn't tell us who our sperm donor is."

"No but it does narrow it down to two: Littlesea and Uley." Hermione nodded at Jacob's observation but didn't say anything. Her shame at going behind her Pack's back was festering and she felt like she was going to be sick. The only reason she hadn't ran away was because of the heavy weight of Paul's arm around her shoulders.

"How did you even get our blood?" Jared asked, baffled.

"When I bit you, when you first arrived," she replied straight away.

"Mine?" Quil asked.

"When you cut your finger when we were preparing food."

"Ours?" Leah asked, eyebrow raised.

"When we fought. You spat it out."

Leah nodded slowly. "Resourceful. That's cool." The rest of the Pack murmured their agreement before settling down, leaving Hermione gaping next to Paul.

"That answers one question," George said after a short moment of silence, "sort of."

"Quite right, Gred," Fred said eagerly, lowering his drink to the ground and leaning forward eagerly. "What spell do you need us to work on?"

"Oh here we go," Leah muttered, moving to lay down on the ground, her head resting in Jared's lap. She closed her eyes but didn't fall asleep, but she still missed the look of pure horror and confusion on Jared's face. The normally stoic and distanced she-wolf had never been _this _close to him and he didn't know what the limits were before she freaked out and tried to bite his head off.

"When we shift, our clothes rip. They don't survive the change like clothes do on an animagus so what I need is-"

"The clothes to stay with you but not get in the way," George finished. His fingers were already tapping his knees and his look was unfocused as his mind whirred with the possibilities.

Fred slapped the back of his hand against George's arm to get his attention.

"A charm on the clothes would prevent them from ripping," he pointed out. The frustration on his face indicated that he was aware how that didn't really solve anything.

"Wolves don't have pockets," the one eared twin muttered with a scowl.

"You also can't charm every item of clothing," she pointed out.

"Quite right," Fred agreed, leaning back in his chair and staring at the stars. "Challenge accepted."

* * *

Sam cried that night. He buried his head in Emily's stomach, arms holding her tightly to him as he sobbed, neither quietly or softly.

"Shh," she cooed, running her fingers through his hair. "It'll be okay."

"It won't," he argued. "I've lost everyone. Brady and Collin are thinking of leaving too. They hate the idea of hurting the others and so do I. Quil and Jared and Embry left because of how enraged I became. Paul and Jacob, Seth and Leah never got to experience it but they've seen it and they won't appreciate it."

"No," she agreed, "but Hermione will come back and make them see the light. She went through a war, she probably has half a dozen reasons for why you've acted the way you did, and she'll be the first to hug you when everything is cleared up." Sam wiped his eyes on her shirt, the soft material and her scent bringing him more comfort than she probably knew. "Now, come on," she said, patting his head. "You're going to help me clear some of your boxes that your mum left you. I want to see baby Sam."

**We're nearing the end of Part 2 and I'm really excited for what's coming up. It'll finally answer questions. **


	51. Chapter 51

"Shift again," Fred demanded, glaring at Paul. He wasn't angry at Paul, he was just angry at the fact he couldn't work out a solution.

"I've already shifted fourteen times," Paul said, "what more do you want from me?"

"Another shift!" Fred snapped. Paul growled, but refrained from arguing, as he shifted back into his wolf form.

"We need to take a break," George moaned, dropping his head onto Fred's shoulder.

"I agree," Hermione piped up. The witch was lying on the porch, on her back, with a large tome regarding _Animagus: The Ins and Outs, _resting on her stomach and raised legs. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry nowadays," Fred complained. "It's like you have a pocket to hide all the extra weight you _should _be putting on.

"Where on earth would I put a pocket for excess fat, Fred?" she asked dryly.

"I don't know, otherwise I'd point it out," he snarked. "You're brilliant at undetectable extension charms, for all I know it could be disappearing into your locket."

"I don't have a locket," she countered, though her tone suggested she was distracted. It was a tone that Paul and the Twins were used to hearing, especially when she had her nose in a book.

"I'm going to get you one," Fred promised. "When you shifted, it'd look like a dog collar."

Hermione snapped her book shut and sat up abruptly. "Could that work?"

"Getting you a dog collar?" George asked, brow furrowed. "You do know who you're talking to, right love?"

"No, not the dog collar," she snapped. "Well, not completely." She placed the book on the porch and wandered closer to the Twins. "I've been reading about animagus' and the process of becoming one. It's so much more than meditating and sucking on a leaf for months. There are a few spells that have dozens of spells entwined amongst each other. So if we-"

"-isolate the particular spell used to transport the clothes with the human body then we can use it on you lot," George finished.

"No," Hermione argued. "The spell only works each time because of the magic used to do the rest of the transformation. Peter Pettigrew needed a wand to transform into a rat and his clothes didn't go with him."

"His magic wasn't powerful enough to take them with him and the Pack don't have magic," Fred added.

"Right. But once we isolated the spell, we could tweak it to be more of a magnet for the clothes during a shift."

"You'd need an anchoring point," George mused. "One that could be with you during wolf hours and human hours."

Fred's eyes lit up. "Dog collar!"

"Dog collar," Hermione agreed. "That way we wouldn't need to lace the spell into every item of clothing, expand the inside of the anchor so it can store the clothes no problem."

"Then you've got your very own portable suitcase," George concluded.

Hermione nodded, satisfied with their theory and conclusion, and the whole Pack watched as the tension seemed to bleed out of her and she was a relaxed blob on the porch. Paul's internal wolf howled with happiness.

"Could that work for Remus?" Paul asked, pulling his shorts up.

"No," George answered. "His form doesn't come from within like yours. He bones in his body literally break and reshape themselves. It isn't like the shift that you experience at all."

"That must be painful," Embry commented, wincing at the thought. The shifter had been hanging around Hermione and Paul a lot more since it had come to light that she'd been doing the testing.

"It is," Hermione agreed. "I've seen it and it isn't a pretty sight."

"You've seen it?" Embry asked. "Wouldn't that be extremely dangerous."

"Erm…" Hermione trailed off, knowing that mentioning her and danger was a trigger for Paul. Luckily he already knew this particular tale. "It was quite dangerous, and stupid, and terrifying. But I survived and I didn't turn into a wolf then so I'm all good!" Paul rolled his eyes at her before taking a seat next to her and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Can we eat now?" he asked.

* * *

The ringing of a phone startled _everyone. _Vampires, wizards and Pack.

"Whose is that?" Jasper asked, his head tilted as he tried to recognise the tune. It couldn't have been one of the Cullen's because he knew all of those. "Is it yours?" he asked the Twins.

"We don't have them," the replied. "Magic interferes."

"Oh God," Paul moaned before heading upstairs to check his stuff. Sure enough, it was his phone ringing. "Oh shit!"

"What?" Hermione asked, apparating to his side. Her eyes flashed to the screen before she cursed. "Fuck. What are we going to do?"

"We have to answer it!"

"Do we? If we leave it, he'll give up."

"He's your uncle, Hermione, he's stubborn."

"I know that, dammit," she snapped. "Why is he ringing your mobile though?"

"To speak to us?"

"Obviously," she drawled, channeling her old Potions Master. "But we should be in England, he'd believe we'd be there and so he'd ring-"

"The house phone," Paul finished.

"Which means he's already tried that, and probably had someone check in on us."

"He wouldn't do that, would he?"

"He's just been told his daughter is ill and he's not allowed to visit. Yes, he would do that."

"Oh God, he knows we're not there."

"We have to answer it," Hermione sighed.

"No, you said he'll give up."

"And you said he was stubborn."

The ringing ended as they bickered and their fight paused, as they both held their breath and looked at the now black screen. Ten seconds passed by before it started ringing again.

"Shit." Hermione flapped her hand at her imprint. "Answer it then."

Paul glared at her before taking a deep breath and answering.

"Hello?" he greeted drowsily. Time zone, of course. Hermione had completely forgotten! Her imprint was so smart.

"_Quit the act, Lahote," _her Uncle said coolly. "_Put my niece on."_

"Chief, it's late. You want me to wake her up? Don't you know what time it is?"

"_In fact, I do know what time it is. Do you?"_

Paul stuttered, an awkward, "Errr," sound escaping his mouth.

"_Thought as much," _Charlie said smugly. "_Put her on."_

Paul held his phone to her silently and pouting.

"Hey Uncle Charlie," she greeted happily. "Oh it's lovely to hear your voice."

"_You haven't been answering my calls or emails. Your house has been unlived in for months. You are not in England. Bella isn't ill, she's dying or going through a vampiric change and you're over there with her. Your boyfriend and his wolf buddies are over there as well. Tell me when I'm wrong."_

"Uncle Charlie-"

"_No, don't," _he cut her off. "_I've known about your magic for years. I was one of the first people to find out. We used to read your books and you'd tell me everything. I think I'm capable of noticing a vampire in my town."_

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"_Bella loves him. As much as I hate my little girl growing up, and probably never growing again, she was in love and they were animal eaters. It gave me a sense of security."_

"Uncle Charlie, I will come and explain everything to you. You'll see Bella when she's changed but for now, you have to trust me when I tell you that there is more to this than you're picturing and I can't leave right now."

"_It's to do with my baby girl though, isn't it?" _he asked after a short pause.

"Yes," Hermione admitted. "And that's all I'm saying on the matter. Trust me."

"_I do," _he said. "_The moment everything is cleared up, you are to come round."_

"I promise. I love you Uncle Charlie."

"_I love you too."_

* * *

"What if none of the Pack matches?" Jacob asked as he lay next to Hermione, the pair of them staring up at the stars like they used to do when they were younger.

"Then I'll know that my Mum was faithful and feel like a shit for thinking the worst of her."

"But it's entirely possible, you know that right?" Hermione nodded. "You come from the Swan line, which has been part of Forks since as long as I can remember."

"Which isn't very long considering you aren't even twenty yet."

"Okay, but when I hear the stories of the 'good old days' or look back at old photos or family trees, Swans are everywhere. It could just be your magic that gave you the edge over Bella."

"I know, Jacob."

"Your Dad could also be part of a different Pack. We don't know how many are out there, and let's be honest, the fact that you learnt about us at school and through text books indicate that they aren't always handsome lads and lasses like us."

"I _know, _Jacob."

"You could also-"

"I know!" Hermione snapped. "I've thought of all these possibilities, truly, I have. But every year as a kid, I was brought here. I didn't have to come to Forks every summer holiday, just to see Uncle Charlie. He was willing to come see us. And haven't you found it weird that I was told the legends and stories when I was younger? Even Uncle Charlie was told them once I was there, not before. Bella was only told once she was alerted to the Pack, not before."

"My Dad made sure that you were at the bonfire for the legends," he mused. "You think he knew?"

"Why else would he teach me about the history of your people? Outsiders aren't let in like that."

"Oh my God," he whispered, reaching blindly for her hand until it was held tightly in his grip. "How long have you had that figured out?"

"The moment I wondered why I shifted and suspected my mum cheated. I want it to be something else, but it has to be that. A distant relation wouldn't let me in like that. Not at all."

"Oh, Hermione."

* * *

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